If You Had Followed Me
by She.Is-A.Writer-Of.Stories
Summary: This is my take on what would have happened had Azula joined Zuko in joining the Gaang. No idea how many chapters this will be, but I will be updating regularly. Let me know what you think- this is my first big story on here so please let me know! Azula/Sokka Katara/Zuko Aang/Toph
1. confrontation

**Author's Note: Hey everybody! This is my first real story here on the site- you can check out my first post, a modern day Sokkla drabble called "Finnish The Heart"... not my best writing because i wrote it a while ago, but who knows, maybe you'll like it? Anyway- this is the first chapter of my take on what would have happened had Azula joined Zuko when he became part of the Gaang- no clue how long this bout to be. leave a reveiw and let me know what you think! I'll stop rambling now...**

Chapter 1: Confrontation.

Zuko had just left his letter to Mai and was making his way to the inner cells of the underground bunker as quickly as he could, time was of the essance in this case.

Zuko expected many things on his way to Ozai's large chamber, perhaps many guards milling about, or maybe even Ozai himself to be stalking the halls.

What he did not expect to see was his sister.

Azula was walking towards the same steel door as he was from the opposite direction.

"Zuzu," Azula began in a clipped tone, "fancy meeting you here, do you need to speak with father also?" She asked, coming to a stop in front of her older brother.

Zuko squinted. Something about her tone, her stance was… off. She looked somewhere near nervous, but not quite. Almost like she was being shy but confident at the same time.

He did not have time for this.

"Yes, and it is urgent, so I would appreciate it if you wait a moment." He went to open the doors but she stopped him with an outstrecthed hand.

"Oh, I'm sure it is urgent." She said, pulling something out from behind her back.

His letter to Mai.

Time to panic. "How di-"

"It is very poor form to say goodbye by way of letter, Zuzu." She said, holding the scroll out for examination.

"What do you care, you're not going to stop me." He said, trying to get to the doors again, but she stopped him… again.

"No, I'm not going to stop you… I'm coming with you." she stated.

Zuko could have laughed.

"What?" he asked, deeply incredulous.

"I said, dum-dum, I'm coming with you."

"Why would you-"

"Look," she cut in, "I would love to explain to you why I am planing on joining you in your little rebelion, but we need to confront the firelord before time runs out. While I'm positive we could both take him if it came down to it, i would rather not test my limits." She said, throwing the scroll at him, which he caught.

"I'll tell you after, now lets go before the bending is turned on again."

Without another word, she flung open the doors to their father's chamber. Zuko distractedly handed off the scroll to a passing servant- instructing him quietly to put it back in his chambers.

Ozai looked up from the cup of tea he was being served in slight surprise.

"Azula, Zuko." He said in an eerily calm tone. He set the steaming cup back on the trat from which it came.

"Hello, father." Azula said, her tone matching his. He smiled.

"What are you doing here?" He asked bluntly.

"We are here to tell the truth!" Azula says. Zuko was not sure what that included for her- he wasn't even sure if she was really on his side- but he remained silent for the moment.

"Telling the truth during the middle of an eclipse. I would expect this from you Zuko, but coming from Azula, this should be interesting.

He bekoned the guards to leave. They all exited through the side doors without a word.

Zuko waited until they were gone to speak.

"First of all, in Ba Sing Se, it was Azula who took down the avatar, not me."

Ozai looked to Azula for conformation. To Zuko's surprise, she nodded.

"Why would you lie to me about that?" he asks his duaghter.

"Because the avatar is not dead. He survived." She answered truthfully.

Ozai looked stumped. "WHAT!?"

"In fact, he is probably leading this invasion, he could be on his way here right now." She continued, her father's raised voice doing nothing to faze her.

Ozai stood, "GET OUT!" He roared, "Get out of my sight right now if you know what's good for you. Both of you!"

"That's another thing," Zuko said, "I'm not taking orders from you anymore."

"And neither am I" Azula boldly stated.

"You will obey me or these defiant breath's will be your last!" Ozai promised.

At that, Zuko pulled out his double swords and steped protectivly in front of Azula. "Think again!" He said forcefully. "I am going to speak my mind, and you are going to listen." He heard Azula clear her throat from behind him and he ammended, "We… we are going to speak our minds."

Ozai stared at them a moment before sitting down slowly. Zuko glanced back at his sister, who nodded for him to go first.

Zuko began his prepared speech, sharing how for the longest time all he wanted was the love and approval of his father, calling out the twisted ideals of the fire nation and boldly stating that he and Azula were going to free Iroh before leaving to join the avatar.

"Really? Since you're full blown traitors and you want me gone, why wait, I'm powerless, you've got your swords, Azula has her… well, she's powerless too, but you have your swords, why don't you just do it now?"

Azula nearly lunged at his throat. ' _I'll show you powerless_ ' She thought, but refrained, knowing they didn't have much time.

"Because I know thats not my place. That's the avatar's job." he put his swords away, turning toward the door.

When Ozai called him a coward and asked if he wanted to hear about what happened to their mother, he stopped. Azula looked to her father, shocked.

"What happened that night?" Zuko demanded.

When Ozai told of how his father commanded him to kill his own son, he admitted that he was going to do it.

"Knew it!" Azula exclaimed quietly, that of which was ignored as Ozai continued, saying that their mother devised a plan that would not only protect Zuko but also put Ozai on the throne. A plan that got her banished.

Both siblings looked at one another then at Ozai in horror. "So she's alive?" they asked in sync. Hot tears were rolling down Zuko's face.

"Perhaps. Now I realize banishment is far too merciful a punishment for treason. Your penalties will be far steeper!" As the sun was once again revealed, Ozai generated a lightning bolt, shooting it directly at Zuko. Azula watched in astonishment as her brother seemingly caught the lightning and threw it back at their father, causing an explosion of orange fire to knock Ozai back against the wall.

"Come on!" Zuko shouted to Azula as he ran for the exit.

She looked one last time at her disoriented father before taking off in the same direction. She had some explaining to do.

 **And the first chapter is up! More will be coming out soon- I just have to edit them. I'm still new to posting here, but I hope to get better quickly. you know what will help? Constructive critisim! Comment away! Review, Like, Follow, whatever, I'm just happy to share my writting. Next chapter will be up soon, see ya then!**


	2. Execution

**Author's Note: Hey everyone! Thank you to everyone who checked out my last chapter! To those who pointed it out- yes, I also got the feeling that Azula was a bit OOC, but her thinking is explained later on. I found it was kind of dificult to keep her in character while also turning her into one of the good guys- so I decided to foucus more on her smart, calculating side rather then her villionus side. Hopefully that plays out well. Anyway, here is the second chapter- I know it is extreamly short, but I promise the next ones are longer, this is more of an in-between scene. As always, let me know what you think!**

Chapter 2: Execution

"There is an abandoned balloon we can use to get out of here on." Zuko explained as he and his sister ran through the halls down to the prison cell where their uncle was being held. "We have to be quick if we want to cath up to the avatar in time." He said.

They reached the holding cell and entered through the oddly ajar door.

"Wait." Azula said as her brother was about to enter without cuation.

"What, Azula?" Zuko growled, annoyed that his sister was cutting their short time even shorter.

"It could be a trap, genius." She held up her finger tips in preperation to strike if need be.

Bursting through the door, the royal siblings were shocked to find a destroyed cell and a nearly unconsious guard slumped against the wall.

Zuko grabbed said guard by his ripped shirt, shaking him slightly. "Where is he!?" He demanded, staring him down as Azula examined the broken cell door.

The guard came to long enough to answer. "He's gone. He busted himself out, I-I've never seen anything like it, he was like a one-man army!"

Zuko set the guard back down gently, his original shock wearing off. He turned to Azula.

"We don't have time to go after him."

"We'll find him later," She said, and Zuko couldn't help but notice how, for the first time ever, she actually sounded sincere. "Right now, we have to catch up to the Avatar. They have to have left by now."

She exited the cell, her brother in tow as they made their way to the empty luanching platform.

 **That's that! Next chapter will be up soon- and a lot longer than this. =) See you then!**


	3. Explanation

**A/N- Here it is everyone! The third and much longer chapter of this fic. In this chapter we get a bit more into Azula's thinking, I really hope it makes sense. Anyway, the formatting on this one is a bit odd... I'm not entierly sure what happened here- oops. anyway, hope you enjoy! let me know what you think!**

Chapter 3: Explanation

Once they were up in the air, the only complication the two firebenders had was keeping an eye on

the avatar while remaining unseen.

"Ok. Now that we actually have time to talk, why did you join me?" Zuko asked, crossing his arms as

he looked at his sister.

Azula sighed. "I guess you could say that I came to the same relization as you. The fire nation is feared. If we want to end this war the right way, then we need to be on the right side. That would never happen with the way our nation does things." she explained, looking out over the side of the aircraft, watching the little group on the back of the bison.

"I don't understand. At the meeting, you're the one that gave father the idea to burn Ba Sing Se to the ground!" Zuko nearly raised his voice before remembering they could be spotted if not careful.

Azula turned to look at Zuko, glaring, "Yes, it was my idea. But who's to say it was a good one?"

"What are you talking about!" Zuko snapped, "You just subjected the entire earth kingdom to hundreds of angry firebenders on the day the fire nation is at it's most powerful! The earth kingdom dosen't stand a chance!"

Azula leaned back against the railing keeping them from falling overboard, again glancing at the little group below them.

"It may seem that way brother, but you weren't there, you have no idea how powerful the earth kingdom really is."

Zuko, for his part, just looked confused. How much more powerful could the earth kingdom be?

Seeing his confusion, Azula rolled her eyes and began to explain.

"OK smarty, look, when I was in the earth kingdom, I took reign of the Dia li. I knew for a fact that by the time I got back to the fire nation, father had a meeting scheduled. I knew that he would be looking for a way to get the upperhand over every nation, including the earth kingdom. The only way he would be able to snuff out the little rock throwers compleatly would be by eliminating them entirely. He would without a doubt use the commet to his advantage. With this information in mind, I informed the Dia Li of what I was planning. I would lead father to belive he could wipe out the earth kingdom with the help of the commet. What father does not know is that I warned the Dia Li that he would be coming after them. Ever since that day, the earth kingdom has been preparing for the attack that is sure to happen. Evacuating residants, strengthening their troops. When we went to the meeting, you brought up the hope of the earth kingdom and I realized that this was the best opprtunity to present my little plan, and as I predicted, he took the bait. Now by the time father gets to Ba Sing Se, he won't know what hit him. So really I should thank you, for providing such a generous opening for me to present my idea at that meeting."

Zuko was now stumped. "Why…why would you change sides just like that? Before you even got back to the fire nation you had made up your mind. What made you do it?" he asked quietly, still unbeliving about how this had played out.

Azula looked to him and then down. "It was actually Ty Lee. Belive it or not, I actually care what her and Mai think of me. After I took control of the Dia li, I gave a little… speech. Ty Lee commented how it was terrifying yet inspiring. I knew she was right and brushed the comment off. But later that night, I realized something." she took a breath, looking up to meet her brothers eyes, "I was glad she had found my words inspiring, but something about the way she told me that I was also terrifying struck me, and not in the good way. I'm not sure why but I suddenly felt that maybe terrifying was not such a good thing to be seen as."

Zuko squinted. "You've never had a problem with being terrifying before. You loved it. What changed?" He demanded. He neede to know if she was being sincere. If she was telling the truth. She had spun lies before. If she were lying now- the whole world would be at stake.

"People change Zuzu. You did. Now look at us, we are on the way to join the avatar, as self proclaimed traitors. Life has a funny way of twisting things up." She whispered. Her tone took Zuko by surprise, she almost sounded… broken.

He couldn't blame her, after he considered switching sides- doing the right thing- it left him sick for days. Maybe this was her way of changing.

But…

"…But what about the Avatar?" Zuko asked after a moments consideration. If she was telling the truth, why did she try and kill Aang after she had supposedly "changed"? Why capture Uncle? "You nearly killed him and then conqured Ba Sing Se."

Azula sighed. "People also make mistakes. That was mine, I realize that now, I was still unsure of my choice. I only told the Dia Li after the Avatar got away. However, due to the fact that I was on the fence about switching sides, I struck the avatar with a blow I knew wouldn't kill him. Hinder him? Yes. But not kill him."

Zuko studied his sister. She had admited her mistake, no matter how large of a mistake it was.

She… was sincere. Zuko smiled. A real smile, one Azula had not seen for a long time. Well, now that he was sure she had changed for the better…

"This won't be easy. We don't have their trust. We have to gain it. The only way to defeat the firelord is if we stick together." He said.

"I know. I just we hope get them to belive us before the commet comes. The earth kingdom may be ready to defend themselves, but they will still need help." Azula replied, glancing down to check on the avatar again.

Only to find they weren't there.

"What…Zuko, where are they?" She said, panicked.

Zuko just chuckled lightly. "You have some things to learn about tracking the avatar. Their bison is probably tired, they had more people with them then usual. They must have landed."

"Well then we have to get closer to the ground." she stated.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea… look!" He said, pointing off in the distance to a large rivene that split throught the ground.

"A giant hole… how helpful." Azula muttered sarcastically.

"It's not a giant hole! It's the western air temple. I should have known this is where they would escape to, this is where Aang used to live."

"I'm assuming Aang is the avatar?" Azula asked, trying to mask her curiosity.

Zuko switched gears, lowering them into the split.

"Aang is the avatar, then there are the water tribe siblings, Sokka and Katara."

"And Katara is the waterbender. I heard you two were imprisoned together in Ba Sing Se." Azula raised her eyebrow suggestivly, at which Zuko glared.

"We were only imprisoned because you made it happen. Besides, she was too busy yelling at me for us to… nevermind." Zuko felt his cheeks heat up against his will, to which Azula snickered, before sobering up.

"I'm…sorry. About the imprisonment…" She muttered reluctantly. She was just full of surprises today.

"I accept your apology. But I'm not the one you have to worry about. If she dosen't forgive you, or me, we might not even stand a chance. Aang seems to deeply respect her opinion."

"What about the rest of them, Sokka was it? And what about the blind earthbender?"

"She's blind?!" Zuko asked. He had never noticed before.

"Apparently. One of the reasons I find her skills particularly impressive. What was her name anyway?"

Zuko shrugged. "I haven't heard it. But I assume we'll find out."

The two teens were jostled as the balloon made a shaky landing.

"So what's the plan? Just waltz into their camp and beg for their forgivness?" Azula asked, looking to her brother who looked down at his feet.

"Aaaaaand you don't have a plan. Well this is great."

"I was thinking we could just explain to them our situation. Aang needs a firebending teacher and a direct tap into fire nation knowladge." Zuko answered.

"It also helps that he will have two of the most powerful firebenders on his side along with first hand knowladge about the firelord himself." Azula added, touching her chin thoughtfully.

"Good, so we already have the reasons we would be good additions to the team. Now all we need is to show them we really mean no harm."

Azula sighed. "I suppose that means I should apologize for all I've done… This is a long stretch but perhaps we should show them we have changed."

"A long shot? Try Impossible!" Zuko exclaimed, getting out a long rope to start climbing down to one of the many hanging buildings.

"That isn't the hard part- showing them we have changed- the hard part is doing what we are going to do to show them."

"And what is that, Azula?" Zuko asked, mildly irritated that her train of thought seemed to be going around in circles.

"I happen to know a certian prisoner kept on the boiling rock that Sokka has a particular interest in." she said, glancing at Zuko.

"…That Kyoshi girl."

"Suki is her name I believe. If we free her then that would get Sokka on our side… but what of the others."

"Sokka and Katara's father. He wasnt with them on the Bison, he must have been taken prisoner in the invasion. He might be at the Boiling rock as well, it's a long shot, but it's worth it."

"Let's just try talking to them without getting frozen first."

"Or blown off a cliff."

"Or buried alive"

"Or getting hit in the head with a boomerang."

"What is his obsession with that thing anyway?"

"Beats me."

The two siblings bantered back and forth like they used to all those years ago as children. It was a nice change of pace. Maybe things _would_ be better.

Zuko slid down the rope first, looking up to see Azula right behind him.

Once they touched down on the ground of the hanging building, they were greeted by the sound of a roaring bison and a few chattering voices in the distance.

"That's them… What should we do?" Azula asked, looking to her older brother. It was unlike her to lean on others for help- especially under extreame circumstances- but she wanted to change. To a fourteen year old girl-warrior or not- a big brother made a world of difference.

"Why are you looking at me?" Zuko asked, a bit uncertian of how to care for a younger sister, not that she actually needed to be cared for exactly, he just wasn't used to kindly socilizing with his usually life threatining sibling.

"You are the one that has had the most encounters with them, what do you usually do?"

"…Try to kill them- I don't know Azula! I haven't tried making friends with them, how would I know what to do?"

Azula gave a long-suffering sigh, glaring at the ground in concentration. So much for Big-Brotherly help. "We have to think of something, and fast." She glanced werily at the group flying around up ahead, looking for a place to land

"Let's not get spotted before we come up with a game-plan." Zuko said, cuatiously grabbing onto his sisters wrist and dragging her in the opposite direction of their soon-to-be allies.

 **A/N- There it is! hope it went over well, let me know and I will see you guys in chapter 4!**


	4. Practice (Makes Progress)

**A/N: Hey everyone! I'm super excited right now because the site was down for a while and it literally stopped working in the middle of me posting this chapter-Not fun! Anyway I just have a few things to say- I don't know if you all read my A/N's but if you do then yay!- Anyhow-  
First off I want to say sorry for not having done this in previous chapters- it kept slipping my mind- but DISCLAIMER: I do not and -for the foreseeable future- will not own or be owning the Avatar the Last Airbender series, products, merchendise, ect. (No matter how badly I wish I did!)  
Second: I thank all of you who have left positive and constructive comments, reading what you guys have to say about my story makes me so happy, and believe it or not it is helping me to become a better writer- so thank you so so much!*Happy Squeal!*  
Last but not least: This chapter is another extreamly short chapter- I really did not like the length at all, but merging it with the next chapter messes with the flow of the story in my opinion- BUT! My opinion does not matter- yours does, so tell me if you think the flow would be messed up if I had merged the two chapters! **

**"But, dear Author, how can we tell you what we think if we do not yet have the next chapter?"**

 **Well, dear readers I have good news! Due to the short length of this chapter- I have decided to post the next one immediently after it! YAY! that way I am happy with the length and flow, and you are happy with more reading material- Win-Win!**

 **I will now stop rambling, enjoy this short instalment!**

Chapter 4: Practice (Makes progress)

"Hello, Zuko here…" Zuko was pacing and muttering to himself, conjuring up some form of a speech to present to the avatar. Or at least he would have been if it wasn't for the fact that he was tripping over his own tounge.

Azula almost mentioned that she was also there, but refrained, finding it slightly funny the state of distress her brother was in.

"Though I guess you already know me…Us… UGH!" He spun on his heel and flopped down next to his sister who was sitting with her back against a log, legs overlapping and arms crossed over her chest, lips in a pout as she too pondered what they should say.

"It has to be convincing. WE know that we have changed. We want this war to end as much as they do… now how to get them to see it from our vantage point…" she thought out loud, trying her best to push Zuko's train of thought along.

"How do we get these people to believe we are on their side?!" He asked, exasperated as a bull-frog he had previously been using as an audiance croaked and hopped away.

"You know as much as me Zuzu. And that's saying something."

Zuko rolled his eyes "You're not helping."

"Look, we have a way prove to them we have changed. Now, all we need to do is get a word in before they start trying to kill us." She stated matter-of-factly.

"Right, because that should be so simple."

Azula thought for a moment. "I know, why don't we attack first, get the upper hand. Perhaps if we en-trap them, they will listen to us." she proclimed, holding up a clenched fist.

"…Yeah I don't see that working 'zula."

"Ugh I haven't heard that name since we were half the sizes we are now. What a stupid nickname."

"What, Zuzu is better?"

She shrugged as she stood.

Zuko followed suit, going back to his pacing.

"Maybe acting like uncle? He seems to know how to approach people…" He held his hand to his chin in thought for a moment before muttering in a poorly re-created version of his uncle's accent-

"Zuko…you must look within yourself to find yourself- to protect yourself from your other self, only then can you reveal your _true_ self…"

"…He doesn't _actually_ sound like that, does he?" Azula asked, looking slightly horrifiyed at the notion.

Zuko just groaned and slumped his shoulders. "Maybe I'm just not that good at imperssonations."

Azula sighed "Come on, we have more important matters to deal with. Let's get this over with. Maybe that water peasent will be merciful and use her words as a wepon rather then her water whip." Azula muttered darkly, remebering the sting and red mark that had been left on her skin for days after Ba Sing Se.

"Azula, no matter what they do, do **not** attack." Zuko warned, straightening up.

"Obviously. I also believe we should apologize for…" She trailed off akwardly.

"Yeah…" He muttered. Neither of them really wanting to bring up how they had- on multiple occasions- tried to kill the very people they were trying to join forces with.

This was going to be so easy!

 **Like I said- Way too short! But don't worry, the next one is coming at you in a few minutes! Stay tuned!**


	5. Pleading

**A/N: As promised- the next chapter in quick succession! Haha! I hope you all like it- let me know what you think, I always look forward to reading your comments!**

 **(This one isn't super long either- but hey, two posts in one day makes up for it I hope=))**

Chapter 5: Pleading

"…All day echo chambers!"

The fire nation siblings could hear the bubbly avatar rambling on about the place he grew up in as they snuck up behind his large bison for cover.

That cover was short lived.

"That's going to have to wait." Toph said, pointing at the now exposed firebenders.

Sokka screamed in a pitch that was never meant for a man and pulled his boomerang out from behind his back, aimig it in a (hopefully) threatning manner at the two.

Katara opened her water-skin, arms raised, ready to attack.

Toph took her battle stance, staring blankly at the ground.

Aang stood and stared at the two people they had learned to fear most.

"...Uh, hello, Zuko and Azula here!" Zuko stated with a wave.

Azula rolled her eyes.

"Enough with that!" She looked at the group of benders- well benders plus Sokka- and pursed her lips.

"I guess you're surprised we're here." Zuko spoke again, prompting his sister to glare at him.

"Not really, considering you followed us around the whole world." Sokka spoke up, slacking in his stance a bit.

Azula sighed. "Ok, look, this isn't easy for us, so it's hard to imagine that it is okay with any of you, but… we would like to join your team."

Silence.

"You wanna what now?" Toph asked, and Azula eyed her curiously.

Zuko stepped forward. "We want to join you in defeating the fire lord. We know that you need a firebending instructor, and we would be happy to help." He nodded to Aang.

At that moment, Appa decided to step in, dragging his giant tounge up Zuko's side. Zuko grimced and rubbed slobber from his eyes while Azula-despite the seriousness of their situation- had to keep from laughing.

"Appa seems to like them." Toph commented as the large bison sniffed at Azula.

"So what! They probably just covered themselves in honey!" Sokka yelled, waving his boomerang around.

"If you think for a second that WE believe-" Katara began but was cut off by Azula.

"What do we have to loose? If we join you, join forces, we are one step closer to ending all of this."

"But at what cost?" Sokka said unkindly.

Azula looked down. "I know-we know- that considering everything we have doen, it must be hard to forgive us-"

"Hard to forgive you!?" Katara cut back, venom lacing her words- which impressed both royal siblings if they were honest, "It's down right impossible! What makes you think you have any right to join us after all the horrible things you two have put us through?"

"That's the point, we don't have any right. But we were hoping you could see past hard feelings. The avatar needs to master firebending and we can help him do that. Besides what about the good things we've done? Like setting your bison free?" Zuko siad, taking another step.

"Once again, Appa does seem to like them."Toph spoke up again.

Azula was just grateful her brother had not mentioned that she was not part of rescuing the bison.

"Hard feelings- you mean towards incidants like when you attacked us in Omashu?" Katara asked hotly, chosing to ignore Toph's inquery all together.

"Or when you ganged up with pirates to hunt us down?" Sokka added.

"Or used my mother's neackless to track us down and capture us?"

"Or when you struck Aang with lightning!?" Sokka screeched at the Fire Nation Princess.

Zuko shook his head, "Look, we know we did a lot of awful things," Azula nodded, guilt- of all things- heavily coursing through her, "Like tracking you down, and trying to kill you, and sending that fire nation assasin to-"

"Wait. YOU sent combustion man!?" Sokka asked as Azula looked at her brother in confusion.

"…W-well that's not his name but-"

"Oh so now you're defending your friend?" Sokka probed.

"He's not my friend!" Zuko snapped back, then instantly pinched the bridge of his nose.

"How about this," Azula said quietly, trying to quell the now heated atmosphere her brother initiated, "If you won't take us as allies," She got down on all fours, an ultimate respect, wacthing from the corner of her eye as Zuko followed suit, "Then maybe you'll take us as prisoners." She dipped her head.

"No," Katara said, readying her water, "We won't!" She unleashed a small wave on them, a warning, knocking them both back a few feet.

"You need to leave, and if you come back… well, you better not come back!" Katara said with finality as she watched them get up and regretfully take their leave.

Before they vanished completly, Appa groaned, and Azula reached out to rub his nose. A small, friendly gesture that did not go unoticed by even Toph, who seemed to be mulling things over as the two fire nation siblings dissapeared from her feet's sight.

Aang remained silent.

 **There it is! Let me know what you think! I'll chatch you in chpater 6! -Writer out!**


	6. Progress (Takes Practice)

**Guess who's back with a brand new update for you guys! This is coming along nicely I think- once more, Thank you for all the great feedback I'm getting, It really makes me excited to post for you guys! This is a longer chapter, things start to get interesting here- not too much but we are definitely getting into the meat of the story- I hope that's how it feels, that's what I was going for, Let me know what you think!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I own none of this- just write fanfiction about it~teehee.**

Chapter 6: Progress (Takes practice)

"Well that went well." Zuko said as they reached their makshift camp a few yards outside of the nearest ground level entrace into the hanging buildings.

"Yes, way to go- telling them you sent an assasin after them! What were you thinking, you could have told them Ozia had done that! They would have bought it!" Azula yelled.

"I don't think being dishonest is a really good idea right now." Zuko said, piling some near-by pieces of wood up and setting them on fire.

"Whatever, let's just get some rest and…try again tomorrow." Azula mumbled as she found a relitivly soft patch of earth and warmed it a bit with her bending.

Tonight was going to be a long night.

 **Page break~ How's it goin'~ Page break~ Get ready y'all~ Page break~ Does this even count as a PB?~**

A rustling sound in the bushes alearted the sleeping prince that someone was approaching.

"Huh?" he said inteligently, rubbing his eyes as he tried to see through the dark.

Azula stirred next to him, sitting up and muttering sleepily.

"Who's there?" He asked, his voice rising slightly as he became more alert.

More rustling replied, this time closer then before.

"Stay back!" He yelled, sending out a wave of orange fire before he could hear the small "It's me!" come from a framiliar voice.

Azula was about to luanch a flame fist before she stopped at the sound of a squeaky "OW!" and a thud as someone small fell to the earth.

"You burned my feet!" Toph yelled, sitting there vacantly staring-well more like glaring-in the direction of the two fire nation siblings.

"I'm sorry!" Zuko yelped as he sprang to his feet, running after the girl who was now crawling away on all fours as fast as she could.

"Wait! Come back! I didn't know it was you!"

"Stay away from me!" she began to throw rocks in his general direction, which he dodged easily.

Azula, who was watching the whole ordeal in a hazed fasination, snapped to her senses.

"WAIT!" She yelled, running after Zuko.

Once she reached her brother, she pulled him back and ungracefully shoved him to the ground.

"W-Wait! Let me help you! My brother burned you, not me, you- YOU CAN TRUST ME!"

Toph stopped her crawling and sat there-tensed- as she thought. Meanwhile Zuko was rolling on the ground grumbling something about 'why am I so bad at being good!'. Azula stood still, waiting for the small girl to say something.

"…Why should I trust you?" She challanged. Toph knew compleatly well that the two firebenders had been sincere when they offered an alliance. Their heartbets stayed steady- even the princess was telling the truth- She just wanted to see what Azula would do to prove herself worthy of trust.

"Well…you must have come here for a reason. Why?" Azula asked.

"I wanted to _talk_ to you. But it looks like that's out of the question." Toph spit coldly.

"Maybe not entierly." Azula thought for a moment. "Why don't you let me help you back, you can get there faster and Ka..katar… Katara! She can work on your feet. She can heal, can't she?" Azula asked more for the sake of making her point valid rather then out of atual curosity.

"…Yeah, sugarqueen can help." Toph replied feigning uncertianty.

Azula sighed and said. "Let me take you back, we can talk on the way."

"And what about Sparky over there?" Toph asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Spar- oh. Well he can come if he _promises_ not to set anything else on fire." Azula punctually turned to her brother who just laid there, glaring at the stars.

Toph considered things for a moment.

On the one hand, if she got to Katara quicker, the burn wouldn't cause as much damage as it would if left unattended.

On the other hand, trusting the two people in this world that were most threatining to her life was pobably not the best decision…

But they had changed. They had been truthful. Her feet _never_ lie.

Toph sighed. "Fine. But Sparky has to carry me, payback for burning my feet."

Zuko sprang to his feet in an instant, turning and bowing low to Toph. "I'm sorry for-"

Toph cut him off "Save it for the group explanation. I'm sure everyone will _LOVE_ to hear about this." Toph said grinning.

Zuko pouted but nodded his head nonetheless, knowing the expert earthbender could feel his actions.

With that he easily scooped her up and started the trek back to the camp where the others were staying, Azula close behind.

 **Page break~page break~don't mind me~page break~hope you're enjoying the story~page break~ok~**

Katara and Aang woke to the sound of distant chattering.

"Who's up at this time of night?" Katara asked, looking at the sky to see that sunrise was about another hour or two off.

"I don't know… do think Toph is back?" Aang asked, looking off to where the voices had come from.

"Well who would she be with?"

"Can you guys keep it down? I'm trying to sleep!" Sokka complained, waking up to his sister's voice in the middle of the night was not something he enjoyed.

"Sorry Sokka, but we think Toph is back." Aang explained, still looking into the dark.

"Well then let her come into camp quietly and the rest of us can go back to sleep." He muttered.

"Sokka I… I think she's with someone." Katara said as the voices became more distinct and a small light grew bigger as the party approached.

"Then they can go to sleep too. Must be Haru or…" Sokka trailed off as he saw that everyone was with them, sleeping peacfully around the still-dying embers of a campfire.

"Wait… I think I recognize that voice… And that one!" Aang said quietly as he strained to hear, getting to his feet.

"Who is it? Toph should be alone… unless…" Katara let her sentence die as she thought of all the different people the blind earthbender could be dragging into their camp. There were two in particular that she dared not even consider.

As the voices grew ever closer, however, Katara's uncertianty turned to dread as she too recognzied who was coming.

"Zuko and Azula." She whispered darkly, squinting to watch as the two royals walked in, one with Toph locked around his neck.

"THEY GOT TOPH!" Sokka yelled, effictevliy waking everyone else, who all sprang to the ready, about to attack before Toph called out.

"Guys! It's fine, I'm ok!"

"Well not entierly ok…" Azula said as they approached the group of tense benders and warriors, putting out the flame in her palm she had used as a torch.

"Toph…What's going on?" Katara asked slowly, quietly- as if loud sounds and sudden movements would cuase the two firebenders to explode.

"It's ok Katara, but I need your help. You can put me down now sparky."

Zuko looked uncertian but set the girl down nonetheless as the others looked on in a mix of horror and confusion.

"Sparky?" Haru asked, looking between Toph and Zuko.

"Nevermind. Anyway, I went to go talk to these two and Zuko here thought I was an assain. He ACCIDENTALY burned my feet. Uh. Katara could you-"

"Of course." Katara said hotly. She made her way closer to the trio, her eyes never leaving their "Guests".

She took water from her pouch and covered Toph's feet, the water glowing as she put her healing properties to work.

"But Sparky here has something to say." Toph said, nodding at Zuko who in turn looked at the rest of the group, who all stared at him, which gave him the need to clear his throat.

"Right well…" he turned and bowed to Toph in the fire nation style, one hand open, the base of the palm touching the closed fist of the other hand. "I'm sorry I burned your feet, fire is dangerous and unpredictable, and I should be more careful, I'm sorry." He said, bowing is head. He turned to Aang and said,

"I would like to teach you in the way of firebending, ending this war peacefully is something we have in common."

Aang looked thoughtful for a moment, considering the older teen with cuation before stepping forward.

"…I think you are supposed to be my firebending teacher. I need someone to teach me how to control such a brash element, something unpredictable…You know how to do that."

Zuko went from a somber calm to extreamly happy in a matter of seconds. "Thank you! It would be an honor!"

"Not so fast, I have to ask my friends. Toph, you're the one he burned…"

Toph grinned. "I say let 'em join, would give me time for my revenge!"

Aang nodded and turned to Sokka. "Sokka, what about you?"

Sokka looked torn but then sighed. "Look…I just want to do whatever it takes to end this war, and if that means adding Zuko to the group then so be it."

Aang nodded and turned to Katara. Thanks to the advanced form of earthbeanding Toph had taught him, he could feel Zuko's heartbeat pick up as he was confronted with the waterbender's desicion.

"I'll go along with whatever you think is going to work." She said, her glare still focused on the firebenders.

"Thank you! I won't let you down! I promise!" Zuko said, overjoyed.

"WAIT!" Sokka yelled, hopping forward, pushing Zuko out of the way and pointing Space Sword-where had that even come from?- at Azula "What about this one." he asked, eyeing her suspisiously. She stared back, more calculating then anything.

"Relax snoozles, she's actually the one who got me to change my mind about ditching these two after Sparky burned me."

"And how exactly did she do that?" Katara asked, still hostile. She wouldn't put it past the Fire Nation to be masters of mind control just like the Dia Li.

"I simply took the time to speak to her rather then chase after her yelling that I was _sorry_." Azula said, casually examining her nails as she pushed Sokka's sword out of her face.

Katara saw Toph nod. Was she over-thinking this?

Aang contemplated Azula's answer.

"Actually, having a teacher that knows how to create lightning would be good, especially for when I face the firelord. If you are willing." He asked, looking to Azula who merley shrugged.

"It would be benificial I suppose…" She looked over to Zuko who barely nodded his head and Azula huffed. Turning to Aang, she bowed low, her hands in the same fire nation pose as Zuko had his. "It would be an honor to assist the Avatar in defeating my father, helping to restore peace to the four nations."

She rose and Aang smiled, returning her bow.

"Great!" Sokka said, putting space sword down again, "We're all friends now, so let's get back to sleep, I'm sure there is a lot to be done tomorrow- training Aang; preparing to save the world and all; eating meat, ya know- so goodnight!" He wandered back over to his sleeping roll.

Everyone followed suit- deciding things would probably make more sense in the morning.

Azula, however, eyed the young Water Tribe man curiously as he walked past her, plopping down next to the nearly-dead embers of the fire.

"Is he always like that?" Azula asked Katara quietly, the sincere curiosity of her tone cathing the waterbender off guard.

"Um…Yeah, mostly… goodnight."

Azula gave a nod of recognition and followed her brother to a place around the campfire. Zuko subtly heated the embers until they crakled back to life and small flames licked at the air.

Katara stood a moment longer, watching as everyone found a place- though the royal siblings were more slow-going- and mulled things over.

Maybe she just needed to give this time. After all- Aang seemed to trust them too…

Long night indeed.

 **BAM! There ya have it folks- as always, let me know what you think and I will see you guys on the next one ~0u0~**


	7. Beginings

**A/N: Hello dear readers! Thank you all for the comments I have been getting- seriously the comments make me fangirl, no lie- this is another long chapter and we get into the part of the story where we begin to see the group work toether, some tension and some humor comes into play here- maybe a little fluff? you gonna have to read to see! Quick question- I know Azula seems a bit OOC in this fic due to her line of thinking when it comes to her choices and how she interacts with the Gaang, so I was wondering, do you maybe want me to do a short one shot- posted seperatly from this fic- that delves into Azula's thinking during the eclipse? (So it would take place before the begining of this fic) Let me know, I just think it can clear things up a bit=) anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter! (It's one of my favorites!) Read on!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. None of it. I'm cry.**

Chapter 7: Beginings

Azula woke up to the unframiliar sound of some animal chittering.

It was a second later that a small wheight setlled on her shoulder.

She resisted her first instinct- charring the burden to a crisp- and laid there silently as she heard someone chuckle.

"Momo! Get off her Royal Fieryness!" Azula identifyied the person talking to be Sokka.

After she was relieved of the small wheight, she grogily sat up and glanced around, her gaze settling on the water tribe prince who was grinning at the small creature.

"What is that thing?" of all the things she could have said to get his attention, she had no clue as to why that question tumbled out of her mouth.

Sokka looked up, as if surprised that the younger girl was awake, and glanced back down at Momo.

"This is Momo, he's a flying lemur. The last one to be found in the Air Nation. Aang, Katara and I found him when we first travled here." he answered quietly, making sure not to disturb the others, seeing as he and Azula where the only ones awake.

Azula eyed the creature, curiosity and intrest taking over. She had never seen anything like it before.

Sokka saw that she was eyeing Momo, her head tilting as she squinted, taking in his details. Sighing quietly, he gave Momo a nudge in the direction of the Fire Nation princess.

The animal chirped and glided- landing in front of Azula who was still looking at him quizically.

"He's… cute." She said uncertiantly, looking back up to Sokka who in turn was looking back with a small smirk gracing his features.

Azula rolled her eyes. "What?" she asked, slight irritation lacing her voice. She had to keep herself in check, however. These were her… friends now. She had to be nice.

If she even knew what "nice" was.

"Just interesting seeing you actually being civil towards something, considering how scary you can be." He chuckled a bit before sobering up, a suspicious look taking over his face, "Why _did_ you decide to join us, anyway?" He asked geniunely.

Azula sighed inaudibly and looked down at her hands, considering her answer.

"Something my friend said made me consider how I really _wanted_ to be seen. Did I really want people to fear me?" She said quietly. When met with silence she glanced up and saw the incredulous look the young Water Tribe man was giving her. She huffed, "I know I was… _scary_ , before. That's exactly it though. After my return home from Ba Sing Se, I really paid attention to how my father ran things. After seeing him in a "new light", so to speak, I was honestly," she stopped, searching for the right word to describe that awful new feeling she developed upon arriving back home, "…appaled, that I had wanted to follow him. I wondered what was the point in having people practically worship you if they are only doing it out of unhealthy fear. I did some digging. I found I don't _want_ people to fear me. Not the way they fear Ozai."

She shook her head. How could she have wanted to follow after her father? Pleasing him was all she had wanted. If she were honest with herself, she was starting to scare even herself with her crulety. She had secretly been afraid when her father burned and banished Zuko. Her older brother whom she tourtured, yes, but also liked having around. She had been scared of speaking out of turn, doing something imperfectly, her father becominging angry and subjecting her to the same puishment he had cast upon Zuzu. She was teriffied, yet hid it behind a mask of crulety and indifferance.

"So you did it out of a change of heart?" Sokka asked, looking at Azula with a curious-somewhat guarded- expression.

"I suppose so." She admitted.

"What about becoming a leader of your nation? Wasn't that your plan, let me guess- overthrow your father and brother and the throne is all yours. What changed?"

Azula thought for a moment."I guess _I_ changed… overthrowing Ozai is still the plan of course, but taking the throne… That's Zuzu's place. Who knows, maybe I can rule along side him." She smirked a bit as she reminiced at how much her mindset and outlook on this whole thing had changed… change… "Speaking of changing, I guess I should… apologise for what I have done to you." She said quietly, the words forgien on her tounge, but honestly…they felt good to say.

"Sokka, I _deeply_ apologize for being cruel to you and your family. While you are not the only one I have to make things up to, I do know where to start with you and… Katara?" Sokka nodded, both at the correct pronunciation of his sister's name and for her to continue with her idea of how to set things straight with them.

"I know where your father might be. He could be on the Boiling Rock, a fire nation prison for traitors and war prisioners. Speaking of the latter, that is also where 'my favorite prisioner' is." She said, smirking.

Sokka looked confused for a moment, not catching the refferance to the tilte Azula had given his girlfried on the day of black sun- just before she had visited her father.

Azula chuckled under her breath. "Suki." She said slowly. Sokka's eyes widened with excitement and understanding.

"You would really let them go?"

Azula nodded "I would break her out, your father too if he's there. It's the least I could do to repay you for letting my brother and I join you." She glanced to the side and was completly shocked when all of a sudden, strong arms were flung around her.

She stiffened, not used to being hugged- as it had been many sad and lonely years since anyone had done so, out of pure willingness that is.

"Thank you Azula!" Sokka mumbled before letting her go, seeing as she didn't really respond.

"Um.. Yes, no problem.." She muttered as he rose, an unwarrented blush forming on her cheeks.

 _Seriously Azula?_ She thought to herself. This was not going to be another Chan incident.

Sokka walked off, grinning as he went off to gather kindling for the fire they would need to make breakfast.

Azula sat there, wondering what it was she had said to make the water tribesmen act in such an affectionate way.

At the same time she found she really didn't mind…

 _Again. Really?_ She rolled her eyes at herself this time, but was pulled from her thoughts when-

"You could bring our dad back?" Azula snapped her head to the right at the sound of the master waterbender's voice.

"Yes… And I fully intend too. We just have to somehow get to that prison." Azula said thoughtfully.

Katara eyed the firebender for a moment before getting up to get a large pot they used for meals.

She knew she couldn't lift the heavy meatal object herself and decided to use this as an oprotunity to test how far Azula's Loyalty was willing to reach. Humility was a strong quality to have. Did she have it?

"Can you help me with this? It's too heavy for one person."

Azula nodded and stood up, grabbing one side of the pot while Katara held onto the other.

Together, they rolled it over to the currently empty fire pit and painstakingly hoisted it up onto the wooden frame above the ashes.

"Thank you." Katara said, slightly impressed at the girl's strength, even more so at her willingness to help out.

Azula, meanwhile, watched katara pull water from a nearby fountian, clean it and gracefully bend it into the pot.

Azula had never really seen waterbending up close and had to addmit it looked… beautiful.

Casting a glance back at the lemur that had woken her up that morning, she suddenly understood-with an odd sense of sadness- how much she had missed out on while living so secludedly in the palace walls, all the culture and ties, chances at friendships and bonds she could have made as a young girl just…wasted.

Katara saw that Azula was looking almost sadly at Momo and wondered what about the small creture had made her feel that way.

"Are you… are you ok?" Katara asked hesitantly, eyeing the girl in guarded concern.

Azula looked at her, a small smile playing on her lips as she thought that Katara would make a good friend here, a confidant of sorts. "I'm fine. I just… What's it like? Travling freely…ish- around the world, meeting all these other types of people?"

Katara was cuaght off guard slightly, unprepared for such a question coming from her… former nemises.

After a moment of concideration though, Katara understood what it must have been like for Azula, trapped in a palace, only going where she was permited and only travling where she was needed.

The two girls with her in Omashu appeared to be the only girls she was ever seen with, propbably her only friends. It must have gotten incrediably lonely. And now she was here, surrounded by people of all different backgrounds, coming from all sorts of places. It must have been overwhelming- a culture shock.

"It's different," she began, "Growing up in the South Pole I never did much travling. When we found Aang, he was the first person I had ever met that wasn't from my tribe. When we started travling with him it was shocking. I never really considered how different the world could have been outside of my home. But I wouldn't trade it for anything. It really opened my eyes, allowed me to see just how powerful and helpful I could be. It's what got me to the place in water bending I am now."

She knew she was rambiling and was wary of the fact that she should probably not be putting so much trust into Azula by telling her this. But at the same time, the firebender seemed sincere, even Toph had said so, and Aang could most likely tell too. She trusted Aang, so that was enough. Besides, the only way to get a person to trust you was to trust them first.

Azula smiled at the description… It…

"Sounds like fun."

Both girls turned at the sound of a new voice.

Zuko.

Katara narrowed her eyes as the fire prince came closer.

She couldn't explain why she was taking Azula's presance better then his, but that's just how it was.

 _Trust_ a voice in the back of her mind said. She ignored it.

"Yes. Fun." She said curtly as she walked away, likely to go hunt down her brother and try to find some food for the day.

Zuko dejectadly watched as she stalked off, her retreating form looking stiff and untrusting in the growing light of the morning.

"Why does she like you more then me?" He asked his sister, who was looking at her reflection in the water with intrest.

"If you want the truth," She started softly, trying not to anger her brother- for some reason it was just no fun any longer trying to get a rise out of him- she wanted to rebuild their relationship, "I would say it might have something to do with what happened in Ba Sing Se."

Zuko's face darkened. He knew he did a bad thing, but that might not have been it entierly.

He opened his mouth to reply but was cut of by a large explosion coming from a nearby cliff.

Looking over, he saw Aang was standing with his glider tilted towards somewhere in the distance, most likely where the explosion had come from. Everyone was stiring awake now.

"What's going on?" Zuko asked, rushing over to the young Avatar, who was glaring into the distance.

He didn't need to answer as another blast came from the same angel as last time, forcing Zuko and Azula to the ground as Aang deflected debris with his glider again.

"Combustion man is back!" Sokka yelled, running into camp carrying a few small twigs with a worried Katara following close behind.

"Yeah we noticed." Toph grumbled, feeling all around with her feet, getting a good sense of where everyone was, but she couldn't see past their building.

"I can't get a read on him, his cliff is to far away!" she yelled as another explosion sent everyone scattering.

"You mean you would feel him with your feet?!" Zuko asked, bewildered.

"Now is really not the time for teqnique questions! I can't get a good enough angle to bend at him!" Katara snapped as she grabbed Sokka by the arm and led him to a wall closing them off from combustion man's line of sight.

"Why did you have to hire this guy?!" Azula yelled as they joined the group up against the wall, another blast made the rock formation around them shudder.

"It doesn't matter- but we have to stop him!" Zuko yelled back as he snuck along the outer wall, obscured from combustion man's vision thanks to the overhang the hanging building provided.

"Zuko! What are you doing?!" Aang yelled as he watched the prince move as quickly as he could towards their attaker.

"Forget it, he's obviously trying to get himself killed." Katara said, at that moment more then happy to have the firebender blown into oblivion.

Azula was about to chew her out for talking about her brother that way, but before she could Toph spoke up.

"He's going to blast this place off the cliff-side!"

Sokka squinted in concentration as he calculated where the blasts were coming from, angling his boomarang accordingly. He was about to throw it before someone grabbed his arm.

"Don't! You might hit Zuko." Azula said, falling silent with everyone else as they waited and listened.

One-sided shouting was heard from the plateu above as Zuko tried to nagotiate with Combustion man.

"Pay…Double!" could be heard just before a yelp and another blast sounded.

Despite herself, Azula gasped slightly, fearing the worst.

Sokka shook his head. "Sorry, we have to take the risk." With that he lined up his boomerang again and flung it.

The group waited for another blast to come.

When it did, however, it sounded shorter and further away.

The next thing they heard was the deafining sound of earth sliding against earth as the cliff Zuko and Combustion man had been standing on fell into the crevice below.

Everyone hurried out to see what had happened.

There were mixed responses at seeinig Zuko alive and climping up a vine to a relativly flat area on the cliff-side.

Making his way back was easy and he was-to say the least- surprised when his sister threw her arms around him, pulling him into a tight embrace.

Yep. Still surprising.

"You are an idiot." She muttered.

Zuko chuckled, returning the embrace as he looked out to the rest of the group.

Katara was staring at him with an unreadable expression on her face.

Sokka was staring at the pair with indiffereance, though a hint of appreciation shone through.

Aang was looking contemplative and seemed to be happy that Zuko was ok.

Toph was just smirking.

Haru, the Duke and Teo were off behind a pilar, staring out with wide eyes at the mess that was now the air temple.

"You did it, you stopped Combustion man." Aang said reverently as the prince and princess released one another.

"Hey…What about me? I did the boomerang thing." Sokka said nonchalantly.

"What is it with you and that thing anyway?" Azula asked, eyeing the water tribe boy with amused curiosity.

"It's a usefull wepon!" He shouted, though said shout was muted in the dust filled air of the cliff-side.

Aang ignored Sokka as he stepped up to the pair. "I think we made the right choice in allowing you to join us. You at least proved your loyalty today." Aang bowed to them both in thanks, much like he had done the night before.

The fire nation siblings bowed back, hoping this was the last of hostile walls to be brought down between them and the Avatar's group.

"Well that's great, I'm glad Combustion man is gone and all, but if I recall correctly, twinkle-toes here has another element to master befor he gose up against Lord Firey-Pants." Toph said, smirking as she rested her feet on a chunk of fallen celing.

"Oh and hurry up, we still need to squeeze in time for earth bending practice." She added. She felt Katara nod as she said,

"Toph is right, I don't want to pull you in seven different directions Aang, but you still need to work on waterbending too."

Aang nodded understandingly, "It's alright, I have a lot to learn, I'm glad I now have a teacher or two for all the elements I have yet to master."

Katara discreetly glared at Zuko.

Apparently not discreetly enough, Azula cuaght her and smirked. These two being around each other was sure to get steamy in every sense of the word. Whille Katara still wanted to freeze the water in Zuko's guts, and Zuko himself was still a bit hesitant around the waterbender, Azula knew chemistry when she saw it.

 _Those two may have bad blood now, but enough time alone is sure to change that…_ Azula thought as she began to play matchmaker. The two benders had no idea what they were in for.

Zuko obviously felt Katara's glare and shifted uncomfortably.

"Right, well, lets practice then." He nodded to Aang and Azula.

The young airbender happily trotted after the prince.

Azula just cast a knowing smirk at Katara and followed after her brother.

 _What was that about?_ Katara wondered to herself.

Quietly in the coner, Toph was grinning from ear to ear.

 **That's that! I hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you guys think about me writting a one-shot for Azula and I will see what I can do! Until the next chapter- Writer out!**


	8. Gone (Fishing)

**A/N: Hey everybody! I'm home from school today- so you all get the next chapter earlier in the day, YAY! This is another short one (I feel like I say that a lot- but hey, happiness in small doses right?) But I like it, I felt like I could have added a it more meat to it, but I didn't want to go over the top. Anyway, thank you to everyone who leaves a reveiw- seriously I love reading them, you guys keep giving me great ideas- I have actually gone "Huh, I never thought of that" A few times- so yes thank you so so much! ANyway I hope you enjoy this next chapter! Let me kniw what you think!**

 **DISCLAIMER: None of it is mine. sadly.**

Chapter 8: Gone (fishing)

It had been a long day of traning for the young Avatar the night he threw himself onto his bed roll, groaning at the pain that charged through his body as he fell. If he was _this sore_ from just learning basic forms-they hadn't started on actually using the element yet- then he was scared about what actually _bending_ the fire would do.

"Well, you look great." Aang lifted his head, Azula was standing over him, arms crossed.

Aang sighed and shoved his face into the matress again, hoping to drown out the soreness of his muscles.

"No one said firebending was THAT difficult." He grumbled.

Azula chuckled. "Wait until you start working on light…ning." she peetered off quietly as she realized what she said.

Aang, sensing the princess' sudden discomfort, sat up and faced her.

He put on his "Peace-Making-Avatar-Face" And gestured for her to sit down.

She did so, albeit cuatiously and waited for him to speak.

"I know that you're sorry for what you did Azula, you've made that much clear. And I've already forgiven both you and Zuko for your past actions. If it makes you feel better, I admit that the rest of us could have tried a more peaceful approach in Ba Sing Se. We've all made mistakes, this is a time to move past them, everyone together. That's the only way we'll win this war." He smiled sweetly and Azula found herself reciprocating.

"Thanks… That actually helps a little. And I am sorry…for you know, almost killing you." She said sincerely, this felt odd, apologizing for forcing someone to the brink of death. But it had to be done.

"And I forgive you." Aang said, flopping back onto his bed roll.

Doing so, he cuaght sight of a bright light in the night sky, and a shillouette travling across the stary expanse.

"Woah, what is-"

"Guys, I found a note on the floor of the main hall." Katara said, coming in and inturrupting Aang's inquiry.

Upon seeing the fire nation princess and the Avatar sitting alone, her eyebrows furrowed, but she said nothing. She was still apprehensive of the Fire Nation siblings, but so far Azula had done nothing to back track the progress she had made. She just had to wait it out. Snakes laid low before they struck-right? If Azula was lying, her moment of truth would come.

"What does it say?" Azula asked, standing to join the young waterbender.

Katara shook her head slightly, clearing her head of those thoughts for now, and began to read.

"Dear friends,

Needed more meat, gone fishing-

Signed Sokka and Zuko."

She looked up. "Gone fishing? At night time?"

Azula raised an eyebrow and took the parchment from Katara. It was Zuko's handwriting, that much was obvious, but thats not what didn't make sense.

Zuko didn't know how to fish.

As if reading the others mind, both girls said at the same time,

"Sokka-"

"Zuko-"

"Can't fish."

They stopped and stared at each other, surprise painting their features as someone behind them luaghed.

"Oh Zappy and Sugar Queen are already like twins!" Toph said, startling them both.

"Shouldn't Sokka know how to fish? You lived in th south pole after all." Aang said, looking from Toph to the other two benders.

"That dosen't matter, why would they go fishing at night?" Azula asked.

Aang suddenly put two and two together.

"Wait! It must have been them!" He shouted, looking back up at the sky.

"What was them?" Toph asked, joinging her student.

"I saw a shape in the sky that had light- most likely fire- coming from it, maybe they were going somewhere."

"What were they on?" Katara asked.

"A fire nation aircraft." Azula said. Eveyone looked at her.

"It's how we got here in the first place. And I have an idea as to where they are really headed…"

"The fire nation prison…" Katara trailed off, touching her chin in thought.

Azula nodded, "The Boiling Rock. It's said to be the hardest prison to break out of, it is surrounded by a simmering lake, boiling alive whatever comes into contact with it. It is easy to get in and nearly impossible to get out."

 _*Cue cricket noises*_

"What?" Azula asked.

"That was absolutely not helpful." Toph said bluntly.

Azula just glared.

"Why would Sokka leave without me?" Katara said mostly to herself. To her surprise, Azula rested a maniqured hand on her shoulder.

"If it makes you feel any better, my brother left without me too." She said almost… sympethetically.

 _Maybe…she really_ has _changed?_ Katara thought as she hesitantly smiled at the other girl.

"Well good ridance! I'm glad to be rid of meat jokes and angsty firebenders for a while." Toph said, yawning as she made her way past everyone on her way to bed.

"You could at least _try_ to be nice…" Aang trailed as he quietly followed her, tierdness forgotten.

Azula smirked.

"They would be adorable together." She muttered to their retreating forms.

Katara was pulled from her worried thoughts and chuckled. "Complete opposites, the perfect balance."

 _Remind you of anyone?_ Azula asked in her head. Was she the only one who noticed the chemistry between her brother and the waterbender?

As Katara walked off, Azula turned, looking back up at the night sky.

"Be safe, you dum-dums."

 **There you have it! Sorry if I don't seem as up-beat as usual, I'm a bit foggy cuz I'm under the waether- but I enjoy posting for you guys! Just let me know what you think and I will catch you on the next one- Writer out! ~0-0~**


	9. Storytime

**A/N: Hello lovely peoples! I'm Feeling much better- In case anyone was wondering- and I am here with a new chapter! YAY! Now just a heads up on three counts...  
1) Another short-ish one. I think it's longer then the last, but alas- still short.  
2) I'm going to be honest- this isn't one of my favorites, so I know it won't be a favorite to a lot of you, but on the other hand, maybe a lot of you will love it! That being said...  
3) I know for a fact that a lot of you guys will definatly not like where I'm headed with this-but that's the point of an AU baby, sorry to dissapoint- I hope you guys will like it, I think it makes sense later on-I will explain my thinkng at that time- but for now I just think it's an interesting twist on things, let me know what you guys think? I love your comments! They bring me joy! just let me know=))**

 **I'll let you get on with reading now- Don't forget to reveiw!**

 **DISCLAIMER: NONE OF IT IS MINE- SORRY I'M YELLING- JUST PUTTING IT OUT THERE!**

Chapter 9: Storytime

"They're back!" The Duke yelled, peering up at the sky as a fire nation aircraft- not the same one but similar to what Azula had mentioned- came closer to the hanging city.

 _That's not the one they left on…_ Azula thought, seeing the large air ship that was used for royal and noble travle.

As the water tribe family was reuniting, Azula approached her grinning brother.

"So, care to tell what happened?"

Zuko looked at his sister and the smile fell from his face.

"It… It's Mai. She's gone insane."

Azula's eyes widened.

The gloomy knife-throwing nobleman's daughter was known for her ability to keep a reign on her emotions.

 _I guess bottling it up for so long took it's toll…_ Azula pondered, wondering how she could have missed the signes of Mai slipping.

 _Not like I paid very good attention in the first place._ She thought guiltily.

Huh… guilt. That was still new.

"So…" The little blind earth bender started, "What happened?"

That night, the story was told over warm food and a blazing campfre:

 _The banished prince of the Fire Nation and the heir to the Southern Water Tribe arrived at the boiling rock unnoticed._

 _Once they had infiltrated the high-security prision, an ally was found on the inside._

 _Suki._

 _The young worrior was a great help in finding a way out of the prision, and all to happy to assist in the rescue of Sokka's father._

 _The three teenage heros, along with the chief of the Southern Water Tribe and a few other escapees were well on their way over the lake when they were attacked._

 _Mai and Ty Lee._

 _The battle was thourough and tough, but the death-shot and the acrobat retreated._

 _Only to start cutting the line that the gondala was being carried on._

 _Mai was personally overseeing that the job was done when a few well placed jabs to her and the surrounding guards halted the process._

 _Ty Lee had saved them._

 _It was clear that Mai was outraged, when she had all too willingly thrown her friend into the very prision her uncle wardened._

 _By the time Mai had control of her body again, it was too late, the group had stolen the very aircraft she had flown in on. And made their escape._

 _There were assumptions as to why the two friends of the Fire Nation princess acted the way they had, but nothing made sense._

 _Another thing that didn't make sense was Suki._

 _At least… it didn't make sense in Sokka's opinion. But he respected it nonetheless._

 _She had requested to be dropped off at Kyoshi, so she could make plans to rescue her warriors from the prision Azula had thrown them in._

"I'll give orders to release them as soon as I get my hands on a messenger hawk." Azula promised.

 _But it mattered not._

 _Suki had also requested, albit begrudginly and with teary eyes, to break all romantic ties with Sokka._

 _The young man was heartbroken but understood. She had a duty to her people, she needed to remain focused._

 _That meant no romantic attachments._

 _They promised to write, to remain friends… and somehow, it seemed easy, like being friends would be easier then being a couple._

"I'm sorry Sokka." Katara said, placing a hand on her brother's shouler.

The young tribesmen just smiled weakly, insisting that he was fine.

Azula discreetly patted Zuko's knee.

The fire prince was startled at first, but then smiled at his sister. She was coming around.

That night was spent with everyone wrapped in a sense of security, thanks to the ties and bonds that came from choosing your family.

 **Gosh I still don't know if I like this. But maybe you do? And what did you think of my twist with Mai? Let me know, I wasn't sure if I really wanted ANYONE to go insane, but like I said, I thought it gave an interesting twist- you guys are the judges- let me know!**

 **Writer out! ~0_0~**


	10. Masters and Monsters

**A/N: Hello there once more! I'm back with the next chapter! As I was editing this, and posting it, I realized the serious voice that is used in this Fic. I do not exactly see myself as a super-serious person, but somehow I managed to write it? Now I know in the fic, they are in the middle of a huge war, they are running short on time before the big mega-battle at the end and everything, and I know that I will be writing chapters at the end of said battle that are more silly and fluffy, but I would like to know if you want me to slow down the story a bit in order to add more fluffy, silly scenes? You guys are a big part of the writing process, I write with you in mind, so let me know what you would like? I just thought it was a bit too serious or stale for my taste. Maybe you do, maybe you don't? Let me know! Thanks for all your comments thus far- Keep it up! I love reading what you guys have to say. Gosh I'm ramblng again are'nt I? Ugh sorry, read on!**

 **DISCLAIMER: NOT MINE =(**

Chapter 10: Masters And Monsters

The small group of teens sat around a blazing fire-courtesy of Zuko- exchanging jokes and laughter, stories of adventures. Both sets of siblings related tales of the early days, back when the war was a far off subject and they were just normal kids fighting and playing with their siblings.

Azula told of how it was revealed that she was a firebender. She was only three and Zuko had broken her facorite toy. She responded by setting his ponytail on fire.

Katara snickered and told the story of how she was deemed a waterbender. One time Sokka's teasing went a bit to far and he ended up under a bank of collapsed snow that had fallen over thanks to Katara's wild gesturing as she vehemeantly berated him.

"A lot like how she had freed Aang."

That comment from Sokka gave the group pause.

"We never did find out what happend…" Azula said, looking to the young Airbender.

Aang in turn looked to Katara.

"Yeah. How did that happen?" he asked, his eyes wide and innocent as he looked at his waterbending sifu.

"Um… It was actually an accident… but that much you knew. Sokka and I were out fishing, or trying to at least-"

"Yeah! You got me all wet! She tried to waterbend a fish out of the sea and dropped it on my head!" Sokka blubbered, comically exasperated.

Azula snickered as the two siblings argued over what really happened.

"Anyway…" Aang prompted, looking between the two glaring siblings.

Katara broke the stare and continued. "Anyway, he and I got into an argument about waterbending. He really didn't like it at first- he called me a freak," she said, glaring again at her brother, "I just started gesturing wildly and cracked an iceberg in half." She said nonchalantly. Yeah-cracking an entire iceberg in half, no big deal!

"…Iceberg?" Azula asked, unsure as to what that was exactly.

The rest of the group just looked at her, minus Toph-who was just as lost.

"They're… they're these things in the water tribes, giant blocks of ice that float in the water. It's actually really impressive that Katara split one in half, they're huge!" Sokka exclaimed, his earlier irritation with his sister forgotten in favor of awe.

Azula raised her eyebrows, trying to imagine such a thing, but finding she couldn't.

"I'll have to see those sometime." She finally said, looking to Katara who nodded.

"Eh. Big block of ice. I don't see the appeal." Toph said, beanding an earth stool and propping her feet up.

Everyone laughed at that. Even Zuko which- though she wouldn't admit it- surprised Katara.

Even more surprising- and she would _definatly_ not admit it- she found she kind of…liked his laugh.

Nothing gets past Toph though, who felt the ever-so-slight accelerating heart rate of the water bender next to her.

Apparently nothing gets past Azula either, because the bling earthbending master felt the older girl's smirk, most likely in reaction to Katara's presumably blushing face.

"A-anyway…" Katara began again- let ALL the records show she still. didn't. like. Zuko. Nope, not a chance!- "After that, Sokka and I were knocked back a few feet, and then a big sphere of ice popped up. It was Aang."

The waterbender smiled sweetly at her student who grinned back in response.

 _Sounds like she's telling the story of their batrothal._ Zuko thought bitterly, unable to figure out why he felt a surge of jelously tear through him. He glowered into the fire which had suspisiously begun to grow brigther.

This also did not get past the two matchmakers. Toph and Azula smirked to one another as they saw and felt the reactions the waterbender and firebender had to one another.

Things were about to get real interesting.

The next morning, Aang and his bending teachers were up bright and early, ready to use what little time they had.

"Okay! Let's get started! I'm ready to learn firebending for real this time!" Aang said excitedly as his two new teachers streatched out.

"Are you always this bouncy in the morning?" Azula asked, bending over sideways and touching her toes.

Aang shrugged "I'm this bouncy all the time!"

Zuko shook his head and dropped into a simple stance.

He brought one leg up in a kick and, stepping down onto it, he flipped himslef in the air, expecting a stream of flame to come out of his flying feet.

But nothing happend.

"What?" He muttered to himself, looking at his feet accusingly.

Azula sighed. "Allow me brother- I actually warmed up." She smirked.

Zuko just rolled his eyes, not willing to admit his little sister was right-as always.

Some things never change… he thoght as he watched Azula fall into the same stance.

She kicked, she flipped.

Nothing happened.

"You were saying?" Zuko asked, smirking at his sister, who glared back.

"Umm… Is this what you guys are trying to do?" Aang asked tentievly, sliding into the same stance.

He kicked, he flipped.

A wide arc of fire followed the soles of his feet as he landed.

"Woah!" He exclaimed, grinning at his dumbfounded instructors.

"Right…well…" Azula trailed, looking at Zuko.

Something was wrong.

Later That Night…

"We lost our stuff." Zuko stated, looking at their new friends.

"Don't look at me- I didn't touch your stuff." Toph stated, digging into her bowl of food.

"Not that." Azula snapped before softning her voice. "Our firebending. It's gone."

Some suggestions on what to do went around, even as far as Sokka poking the fire nation siblings to anger them.

Azula just grabbed the stick he was using and broke it in half over her knee.

"Okay- cut it out!" Zuko yelled at the same time.

Toph, however, came up with the suggestion that seemed the most logical.

"Go to the source." She had said, explaining how when she was little, she learned from the orriginal earthbenders- the badger moles- and that was why she was so good today.

"It might work." Aang, ever the optomist, said.

"Right. Because finding the original firebenders is going to be so simple." Azula snipped sarcastically.

"Well, who are they?" Aang inquiered, looking to the girl who was slowly becoming like another big sister to him.

"Dragons." Zuko answerd, "And they went extinct one hundred years ago."

"That's awful…" Katara said under her breath. She didn't realize that Zuko had heard her.

"Yeah, you have our great-grandfather Sozin to thank for that. It might not even be a possibility that there are any remaining. Much like Ozai, Sozin just wanted to watch the world burn." The firebender slumped down beside her.

To his surprise, she didn't lean the other way.

They were finally getting somewhere!

"Well if there's a will, there's a way!" Sokka exclaimed, thrusting his boomerang into the air.

"Well, the end of the world is definitely insentive enough to at least _look_ for these things." Azula said as she watched the fire dance around the logs beneath them.

"Where would you be able to find extinct Fire Nation animals?" Katara asked- intending for Azula to answer the question, but was slightly thrown when the young man next to her responded.

"There are stories about an ancient civilization, The Sun Warriors. That's where they would breed them. I never travled there myself- but it mght be our best shot." Zuko began thinking of the possibility of there being more dragons as he looked to Katara.

To find the she was pointedly ignoring him.

How was he going to get past this? He knew he should do something to personally make things up to her- but how? Maybe he could ask Sokka…

"So. Tomorrow, we travel to the Sun Warrior civilization!" Aang exclaimed, excited to see more of the Fire Nation.

"What's left of it, anyway." This time Azula spoke. "When the dragons went extinct, so did the Sun Warriors. We haven't had contact with them since before the war started."

"Like our two tribes. We were once seen as sister tribes, but then the war hit hard. We lost contact with them and they never reached out- despite their obvious growth." Sokka said, a bit grumpily. He loved the people of his sister tribe, they were related to a direct member of said tribe for crying out loud! He just couldn't help but feel that they abandoned them in the war.

Azula and Zuko looked at him empathetically-a look that fit Azula's features much better- and wondered what it will be like after they won this thing.

Because they were going to win it.

They _had_ to.

Everyone made sure to sleep close that night.

 **Did I mention this was a longer chapter? Surprise! Anyway, think about what I said up top about more fluff and let me know! Until then I'll catch ya on the next one!**

 **Writer out! ~0_0~**


	11. Think Time on the Back of an Air Bison

**A/N: Wow, has it already been two days? Time flies... when you are editing plain chapters into epic tales of fiction! Like I just did. Yup- I got a new one for y'all! this was really short and kind of meh- but I revampeed it and made it actually work into what I had in mind! so yay! hope you guys like it! Thank you all for your constructive reveiws- I still haven't gotten any requests for more fluff, but I did get a heads up that the story pace was a bit jumpy, so I will work on that, and add more fluffyness just because I want to! So there, live with my fluffy plot bunnies! Anyway, this is a more in between chapter, but a story is only as good as it's filler chapters and I hope I served up! I really like it, we get into the royal duo's thinking about two certian blue-eyed siblings- heh heh. Read on!**

 **DISCLAIMER: NOPE. NOT MINE. I WISH, BUT NO.**

Cahpter 11: Think Time on the Back of an Air Bison

So the next morning Azula and Zuko found themselves on top of the flying Bison with the young Avatar, on their way to a place that could very well no longer exist.

And the two firebenders were geting antsy.

"We've been flying for hours! I don't know why, but I imagined this thing would go faster!" Zuko exclaimed, exasperated as he irratably watched the water rush by- as he had been doing for the past three hours.

Appa groaned, lifting his tail and letting it drop again.

"You're right Appa, in our group we usualy like to start our day with a more ubeat attitude!" Aang said cheerily, flicking the reins.

"He does know we've been here for the past week and never once abided by that rule, correct?" Azula mumbled to her brother, who in response muttered something along the lines of "You have got to be kidding me."

Aang, who had heard the whole exchange just chuckled airly. "You guys will get the hang of it."

Zuko fell onto his back, staring up at the cloudy sky.

Azula took to examining the large beast they were on from every angle she could. She counted 6 legs, one giant tail that could rival her bed back in the Frie Nation, and one head with two horns and a brown arrow similar to the one on Aang's head.

"How did you manage to find this thing anyway?" She asked her young friend, grabbing onto the bison's fur and pulling out a few loose strands.

"Who? Appa? He and I go way back, don't we bud?"

Appa groaned in response as Aang pat his head.

"When air nomads are young, we pick an Air bison baby to be our animal companion for the rest of our lives. They used to be the only transportation able to get people in and out of the Air cities… but ever since the war… It's just been me and Appa. And momo." Aang said, a melencholly look on his face.

Azula felt bad for being insensitive- she was slowly getting used to feeling regretful emotions- and scooted over to the front of the saddle.

"Look… I'm really sorry for what happened… if Sozin had listened to Roku… maybe we wouldn't be in this mess."

Zuko, listining from his spot a couple of inches away, was shocked at his sister's soft tone and sorrowful words. He knew she had changed, but there was that small sliver of doubt in his mind…

 _Azula always lies._

Zuko shook his head. He was…ehhh- 90% sure she was compleatly changed, if her loss of fire bending was any indicator. And today would hold the moment of truth. It was them and Aang. Alone. If she was sincere, he would know for sure by tonight.

As for right now, she had a hand on Aang's shoulder, smiling somewhat softly at the younger boy who seemed grateful for whatever she was saying- Zuko wasn't really tuned in, lost in thought- and she looked glad to be here to help.

Today would tell all, and Aang would finally see that they really have come full circle.

Well, Zuko for sure, at least.

Maybe the rest of the group would notice too when they saw the young avatar-hopefully-safely returned to their family.

 _Katara would see._

The thought popped into Zuko's mind unbidden. It startled him, but he figured if this ride was going to take any longer, he may as well sort out his thoughts on the young master.

 _What is it about her… I know I want her acceptance. But why is it only her acceptance I care about?  
…And why should I even _care? _She obviously still hates me… but she's starting to like Azula more and more. Was it because of what I did in Ba Sing Se? Azula literally_ killed _the avatar. And she was being kind of nice to me before I sided with Azula in the cata-_

 _Oh wait…_

 _Could that be why…_

 _No way. She can't hate me because of THAT! I'm good now!_

 _But… Was it because I turned on her personally? Because she let me in but after I did the same, I pushed her back out? Was she starting to see me as more then the face of the enemy?_

 _Ugh. I wish uncle were here- he would understand._

 _Ok. So now I kind of understand why she wishes I was dead._

 _Now for why I can't drop the thought of her._

 _It's never been like this with girls. Not even Mai! And that's saying something because we…uh, anyway. What do I even see in her?_

Many qualities he had picked up on her showing flashed across his mind, instances. Pictures of rare smiles he saw when she spoke with the group. Her head-strong yet nurturing attitude. Her outlook on life.

How she didn't judge people unless necessary.

He groaned and shut his eyes. What was wrong with him?! He hunted this girl down-along with her group- for months and… found her attractive even then- great, it's been like this from the beginning.

Ever since he saw her at the poles, he noted her beauty- thought the thought was more subdued thanks to his obsession with capturing Aang at that point. She was nothing like he always saw in the Fire Nation, where all the women were tall and thin and pale and quiet.

And then this shorter-then-him, dark-skinned, toned, loud mouth girl has the audacity to not only face him when he tries to capture her friend-but _fights_ him with everything she has in order to defend Aang and Sokka.

And even when he was fighting back, he had realized that he actually _liked_ that she was fighting him.

He just couldn't figure out _why._ What was with this sudden spark that he had never felt with _anyone_ else _ever?_ He couldn't really fathom it.

And it was driving him insane.

And what about Aang? It was obvious he was head over glider for the girl. Was he really going to have to go up against the avatar _again_ , only this time for a _girl?_ What had his short life come to?

Seriously, what was happening?

Unbeknownst to Zuko, his sister was riding the same train of thought, though it was about the other water tribe member in their group.

 _There is something about him that has caught my attention… why can't I get my mind off of him?_

Azula's mind had been flooded with thoughts of the young watertribe's men ever since he and her brother had safely returned from the prison.

 _He is obviously good-looking, even Toph could see that. But the last time I decided to persue someone based off looks alone, that ended in a house on Ember Island burning to the ground._

Azula scowled at the saddle as she recalled her interactions with Chan.

 _Well, Sokka is obviously no Fire Nation air-head. Water Tribe air-head perhaps, but that's not the point._

Much like Zuko, she tried to find where the attraction to this particular person lay. Granted- their relationship was much less complicated then that of her brother and the Katara's, but she was still unsure of it.

Was he even interested in her?

A part of her instantly said _Of course, you're the princess of the Fire Nation. What's not to love?_

But she squashed that thought almost imidiently, no use thinking like that now.

And was he even over Suki? Doubtful.

And what about the little earthbender? Azula was not blind- wow ok, she did not word that correctly- she could see-again, horrible wording, Holy dragons!- but she could… sense, the romantic tension there, despite the age gap between the two.

Huh. Who would have thought the renowned Princess of the Fire Nation would have competition for a romantic interest _with a 12 year old?!_ How would that even work?

 _I'm older and more experienced- I don't care if you "saw" him first, I want him he's mine._

Yeah, that would go over well.

And even Suki. What if after the war she wanted him back?

Azula sighed. This was going to be hard. She had never really experienced feelings of the romantic sort. Nothing more then a physical attraction anyway.

This was a whole new level.

And she was not sure what to expect from herself, nor the boy in question.

Despite their previous annoyance with the length of time this trip was taking, the two firebending siblings found themselves able to pass said time with figuring out what was so hot about two people that came from a place so cold…


	12. The City of Sun (and a Couple Acrobats)

**A/N: Hey everyone! I'm back with a brand new chapter for you! I would like to thank you all for the comments I have been recieving! Some people were responsive to the Azula one-shot sugguestion, so I think I will write that. It might not be very long, but it will clear up her thinking process. I saw some of you were confused about why she had suddenly joined the light side- so I will see what I can do about that. Anyway, here is the next chapter, please enjoy and let me know what you think! I think it turned out ok. Let me know!**

 **DISCLAIMER: NOT MINE. ALL NICK'S. ARE THEY EVEN STILL A THING? IDK BUT THIS IS THEIR'S.**

Chapter 12: The City of Sun (and a Couple Acrobats)

Another three hours, and the trio was flying over what looked like a city, but a really old one.

The Sun Worriors.

"Woah!" Aang and Zuko exclaimed, staring down at the ancient buildings.

Azula was asleep.

"Azula! Wake up! We're here!" Aang yelled over his shoulder at his female firebending sifu.

"Huh? Wh… Oh…Well."

The young girl's eyes widened as the city of her ancestors came closer.

Appa landed outside the entrance, dropping off his passangers with ease.

"Stay here bud. We should be back by sundown." Aang said as he gave the large Bison a hug.  
Azula stared at the two, smiling slightly. She had never had a pet before, so she couldn't relate to the connection Aang had with his life-long friend. But at least there _was_ a connection without a doubt.

Zuko glanced at them before turning his attention to the city ruins that lie before them.  
"We should get moving. We need to get in and find these dragons." He stated grimly, drawing his sisters attention to him.

" _If_ there are any. It's been 100 years… we should prepare for the worst." She said, facing the city herself.

"What was the average life-span of a dragon?" Aang asked as he joined his teachers.

The firebending duo looked to one another.

"We don't know. Maybe Roku does? You are in contact with him, right?" Zuko asked, turning to the small Avatar.

Aang looked away sheepishly. Zuko noticed that Azula did the same.

He raised an eyebrow. Was he missing something? Avatars could do that, right? Talk the last Avatar-or even ones before that- if they wanted too?

"Um… about that. You see, Azula hit me with lightning when I was still in the Avatar state. It locked one of my chakras, the energy points that help me go into the Avatar state. When one is locked, you have to find away to unlock it again before you are able to use the Avatar state again. I haven't been able to unlock it. That's one of the reasons I really need to learn firebending, so that when I go up against the Fire lord, I'm not at a total disadvantage." Aang said, explaining it as best he could n terms he believed Zuko whould understand. Not that he was stupid- It was just Aang himself was still having a hard time understanding it all. He was much less able to explain it.

However- Zuko was still stumped. They had nothing? All they had to go off of was a good-as-forgotten civilization and the nieve hope that there were still dragons to learn from. He turned to Azula.

"You knew about this?" He asked, affronted.

Azula crossed her arms. She still had a sheepish look on her face, but she held her ground.

"He explained it to me when you and Sokka went on your little 'fishing trip'." She said cooly, smirking as Zuko now looked sheepish.

"Well, we may as well try, since we're here. There's gotta be something that can help us." Aang said as he pushed past the two siblings.

Azula looked to Zuko. "He seems awfully hopeful." She said as the young airbender pranced through the broken down gates of the city.

"…he has to be. We all do." He moved past her to follow his young friend, leaving Azula to ponder his words.

She did for a moment, staring blankly at the dirt under her feet as she let her brother's word sink in. Then she realized the boys had vanished from sight, and hastened to catch up with them.

Upon entring the city, the three got to talking about the past being imprinted on the future.

"The building designs are definetly still being used today." Azula commented after Zuko noted how eerily framiliar the sructures were.

"But they don't use this material anymore. I've seen some of the fire nation cites and towns, back when you two hadn't joined our group… they look similar, but technology has definetly improved." Aang said as he stepped forward.

And right into a booby trap.

"WOAH!" The young airbender used his breath to flip himself over and forward into a wobbly standing position on the other side of the spike pit. He whipped around to face his two friends.

"Guys, I think the past is trying to kill me!" He said, his voice kicking up a notch.

Zuko leaned down and examined the trap.

"This booby trap is over a thousand years old and it still works." He said, picking up the rope.

"Maybe we shouldn't be here then." Aang said, worridly glancing between the building's in the distance and Zuko-who was now looking up at the buildings from his crouched position- and Azula- who had her finger pressed to her mouth in thought.

"Any place that has booby traps means that there's something worth protecting." Zuko said, standing straight again.

"However…the trap might be new, brothers." Azula thought out loud, still glowering in concentration at the nearly-new-looking trip wire.

Aang and Zuko did not miss how she adressed both of them when she mentioned her kin. Brothers, pluar.

 _Is she starting to think of me as family?_ Aang wondered thoughtfuly to himself.

Zuko-however- had different thoughts running through his head. "New? You think people still live here?" He asked, examining the rope some more, it did seem farily sturdy.

" _Thriving_ really. What low life civilization would set a trap at the entrance of their home? A very effective trap at that. Proceed with caution, we might have natives on our hands."

"Do you really think the Sun Worriors still exist?" Aang asked excitedly, looking back to the rising structures in the distance.

"…It's a possibility." She answered, glancing around herself. Perhaps she had been wrong, maybe there really were people here.

People. Not dragons. But now she had a bit more… _hope._

"Well, then the natives are trying to kill me." Aang-reminicent of Sokka- deadpanned, turning back to the threatning spikes that had been inches away from impaling him.

Zuko was done waiting. He dropped the rope, took a few steps back and broke into a run. Defying gravity itself, he ran horozontialy along one of the stone walls that linned the entry-way. He landed on his feet with a thud and dusted himeself off. "Where's that up-beat attitude you were talking about?" He asked the young air nomad.

Azula- who was still on the other side of the pit- rolled her eyes and broke into a run herself. However, rather then veering to the side, she jumped straight into the pit-headfirst- flipped in mid-air, grabbed one of the spikes by it's smooth outter surface-as to not slice her hand- used it as a spring-board of sorts and pushed off onto her feet at the other side.

Aang clapped as Zuko muttered "Show-off" Under his breath.

"Let's keep moving." The bald avatar said as they all turned to face the rest of the city.

"Be careful- we don't want any more accidents." Azula said distractedly as she followed the boys down the path.

Zuko glance back at her, amused. "You've been spending too much time with Katara- you're starting to sound like her."

Even though she was refusing to really acknowledge Zuko's general presence within the group, he had noted how she interacted with everyone else, including Azula at times. She had been motherly, caring. Making sure no one got hurt. A sort of attention he wished she would turn on him at times.

Ok, _most_ the time.

Azula smirked. "And you've been _watching_ her too much." She had to fight the urge to laugh as she saw not only Zuko, but Aang as well, stumble at her notion.

Aang didn't bother looking back, mostly due to his flushed face, and also partly because he had heard Zuko stop.

Was he not paying attention? Did Zuko really pay that much attention to Katara?

Aang shook his head. Nah, Azula was just joking. Zuko didn't like Katara, not like he did.

…Right?

Zuko, on the other hand, stoped and turned to his little sister.

"Th-I No! I…Don't watch Katara. Not like that!" Zuko spluttered very ungracefuly.

"Oh? But you admit to watching her then?"

"Wh-NO! I don't…I-"

Azula cut him off with a giggle-an actual _giggle_ \- and said, "Now _you're_ starting to sound like Sokka."

Zuko stopped at that.

How would Azula know what Sokka sounded like? Granted, the boy was loud- but he had mostly been keeing his cool ever scince the Boiling rock.

Unless...

"Oh really. Has someone been watching _him_ closely?"

Azula stopped smiling to give her brother a deadpan look.

"Let's keep moving."

"You didn't say no." Zuko chuckled as she walked past him, shoving his shoulder roughly.

She glanced back at him over her own shoulder.

"And neither did you, brother."

Aang had heard it all.

 **A/N: So what did you think? Were their reactions a bit much? I think I nailed Aang's, but I'm not sure, let me knowwwww, make me a better writer my dears! Ill catch you on the next one!**

 **Writer out! ~0-0~**


	13. Shall We Dance Zuko Put That Down!

**A/N: Hey guy's! I'm here with a new chapter, I hope you all like it- I had fun writing it, so- hope it pulls thru! Thank you all SO MUCH FOR YOUR REVEIWS! LIKE? I'M SO HAPPY TO READ THEM? THANK YOU! Now on with the story loves!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING! (Except my kittens, and even them I have to share)**

Chapter 13: Shall we dance? (Alternative Title: Zuko Put That Down!)

A trek throught the so far seemingly abandonded city led the three teenagers to a building with a red sphere in the door.

Aang tried opening the golden doors.

"They're locked up!" He exclamied, looking back at his friends.

Zuko thought for a moment, rubbing the back of his head as he looked around.

Azula pursed her lips, searching as well.

Both her and Zuko's eyes landed on the identical sphere located on the top of a pole at the entrance of the courtyard, facing the other sphere.

"It's a calander." Zuko explained.

"According to it, this door should open on the next solstiace." Azula observed, tapping her chin in concentration.

Aang groaned. "We don't HAVE that long!"

Zuko glanced around some more. "Maybe not," He started, taking one of his dual swords out from behind his back, "But we can speed time up…" He said, knealing down and angling his sword in such a way that it caught the light from one sphere and cast it onto the other.

For a moment, nothing happened.

"Come on…" Zuko muttered, holding the sword steady.

Finaly, the doors made a loud grinding noise and split apart.

"Yeah!" Aang said turning to Zuko, "You know Zuko, I don't care what everyone else says about you, You're pretty smart!" He said elbowing Zuko in the ribs, his earlier suspicions slightly forgotten.

Azula, who got the jab before Zuko did, started to snicker into her hand.

Zuko smiled, until he got the underlying meaning too. That little…

Aang walked into the dark room.

Only to meet an angry looking face.

"AH!" He yelped, holding his arms up in defence.

"Relax," Zuko said, walking in along with his sister, "They're just statues."

"Old one's too." Azula said, walking into the middle of the semi-circle the statues were set up in.

Zuko followed, looking up at the pieces of stone.

Aang approached the first statue, reading the inscription.

"It says… This is something called the Dancing Dragon."

Azula nodded, only veguly aware of what her new young friend was saying as she stepped into the center of the room… there was an indent in the floor…

Aang set down his staff and examined the statue before him, arms behind his back.

After a moments consideraton, he imitated the pose the statue was set in. Beneath him, the ground sank with a soft "Thunk".

Aang hopped out of the little hole and bent down, examining it.

Zuko was looking at one of the statues with mild interest when a bald, blue, blur rushed at him, latching onto his arm.

"Zuko! Get over here, I want you to dance with me!" The smaller boy said, tugging on his Sifu's arm towards the front of the room.

"WHAT?!" Zuko exclaimed, pulling out of the younger boy's grasp.

Azula finaly looked up from where she was sitting on the floor- examining the dent still- And laughed lightly.

"Oh please do Zuzu, this should be entertaining!" She said, grining as she watched her brother shoot her a glare before reluctantly following the youngest of the trhee.

Aang took his position back in front of the first statue and watched out of the corner of his eye as Zuko did the same.

From there, the two moved in sync, matching each position until they met in the middle, fist connected with each others-arms outstreached and raised above their heads.

Azula looked on thoughtfully, studying the form, when the ground directly in front of her- the one she had been inspecting- called her attention as it moved.

Two slabs of stone pulled apart, and a podium rose up from the darkness.

A top of it sat…a giant golden egg?

Azula stumbled back, eyes wide, as her brother moved forward, an intruged look gracing his features.

Without thinking, he reached forward and grabbed onto it.

"Zuko! Put that down! We don't know what it is!" Aang hissed quietly, afraid that if he spoke to loud something else would come out of hiding.

"Yes, I don't know about you, but _I_ would rather not loose my life over a breaking and entering." Azula said harshly, her tone matching Aang's

"It feels almost…alive…" He muttered, weighing it in his hands.

Brfore his two siblings got a chance to respond, a scream ripped from Zuko's mouth as a dark, glue-like substance blasted him into the air.

"Wh-ZUKO!" Azula and Aang shouted, the former running forward, seeing as the glue was now begining to rise all around them.

"Hold on!" Aang shouted as he forecfully tried to airbend them out of their perdiciment.

Eventually this only made things worse and the three teens were stuck sandwhich-style to a grate, facing skyward with no way out.

"Ugh! Great job, really brother!" Azula said sarcastically- and rather forcefully, which was realy impressive actually, considering her lungs were being crushed by the glue- after they had stopped moving.

"If I had my bending back, I could burn us out of here." Zuko said, struggling a little.

"Tried already, the glue's too thick." Aang said as he wiggled around a bit.

"Let's just figure out how to get out of here- and quickly." Azula said, trying to get a feel for where all her limbs were.

"Any ideas?..." Zuko asked, only to receive the silence of two people trying to free themselves from a trap he had put them in.

Looks like they'd be stuck for a while.

"I can barely feel the rest of my body- let alone move." Azula said as she continued to try and move.

"Don't try to, it might make it worse." Aang said as he tried his hardest not to wiggle around. It was hard, given that he was squished between his two teachers, his face pressed against the grate. His right arm was bent at an odd angle-he was sure he could feel the fabric of Azula's outter tunic near his fingers- his left arm was pressed snuggly against his body and his legs were splayed out- one bent and the other straight out.

Zuko and Azula were not off much better- Azula could swear the Avatar was touching her left butt-cheek and she couldn't even decipher where her limbs were.

Zuko was just stuck with no feeling anywhere.

Except that his left arm was starting to tingle.

Was that bad?

"So…what now?" Aang asked awkwardly, staring up at the sky.

"Uh…pretty clouds?" Zuko answered, calling to memory the painfully akward conversation he and Sokka had on their way to the Boiling Rock.

"Yes. Giant lumps of visble air-how gorgeous." Azula snapped back sarcastically.

"Actually, they're made of water." Aang said, smiling slightly.

"Wait…really?" Zuko asked, as he tried his hardest to look at Aang from the corner of his eye. When he found he couldn't he looked back up at the clouds with new curiosity.

"How exactly do you know that?" Azula asked, wondering what a person would have to go through to find that out.

"Sokka, Katara and I were travling on Appa one day. We were bored and the topic of clouds came up. We wanted to know what they were made of, so I jumped off Appa-"

"Of course you did" Azula said dryly

"-And fell through one. I came back up sopping wet." He giggled.

Zuko assumed the subject of clouds came up thanks to Sokka, but Aang said nothing on the matter of how it was brought up.

Aang sighed, wondering if it would be safe to take a nap while trapped in this stuff- but decided against it when Azula started to talk again.

"You do realize, we could be trapped here forever?" She said, quite disinterested for someone who just brought up the topic of potential death.

"Well. There are worse ways to go?" Zuko said unsurly. How was he supposed to make light of that?

"Yes, death by glue. We shall be remembered as ledgends." Azula smirked at her own quip.

"You know, you guys are _really bad_ at looking on the bright side of things." Aang said with slight annoyance. Seriously, did these two always have to go dark?

"It's in our nature. As Toph likes to say, we are _Angsty firebenders._ " Azula said, remembering what the small earthbender had said when they figured out Sokka and Zuko had snuck off to prison.

"She never said that." Zuko said.

"Yes she did." Aang and Azula answered in unison, surprising the both of them.

"About you actually." Azula amended, chuckling when Zuko groaned.

"I'm not _angsty_." He said hotly.

"Yes you are. Katara told me all about your honor speech you gave her when you tied her to a tree." Aang blabbed, making the prince turn red.

"She told you about that?!"

"You tied her to a tree?!" Azula said, obviously amused.

"I-she I was- Pirates! UGH!"

"What about pirates?" His sister seriously wished she could see him.

"Apparently Zuko-haha, apparently he grabbed Katara and said 'I'll save you from the pirates.'" Aang said through his laughter, Azula joining in as well. "Then he tied her to a tree and wouldn't shut up about regaining his honor."

"Oh, brother, you always wanted to be the heroic type when it came to romance." She said, breaking down in laughter again.

Zuko was glad Katara had not disclosed how intimate that ordeal was for the both of them.

Aang-though slightly uncomfortable with what Azula said- laughed some more.

Zuko just turned a shade redder and was thankful they couldn't see his face. He was sure that his face was hot enough to burn through the glue.

Then a memory came to surface.

"At least I never dreamt of being a damsel in distress." He muttered under his breath- but the two next to him heard.

Aang stopped laughing and looked confusedly at the darkening sky.

Azula blanched.

"We promised to never speak of that!" She said too quickly for her own liking.

Zuko grinned.

"Or treating my lovers to-"

"SHUT UP ZUZU!" Azula yelped, not wishing to re-live her confessions. She had only ever disclosed her fantisies regarding _anything of that sort_ with her closest friends, that being Mai and Ty-Lee.

Wait.

"How do you even know about that?"

Zuko stopped laughing in favor of blanching himself.

Oh crap.

He had only gotten that information from spying on the three girls when they were all younger- back when he was a child and curios as to what girls prattled about when alone. He was not ready to hear his sistser's scaring hopes for the future.

"Um… Mai told me?"

"Oh my Fire Lord! Zuko, were you peeping on us!?"

"NO!"

"Um… what's going on?"

The two siblings seemed to remember that the -extreamly young- Avatar was still between them.

"You'll understand when you're older." Zuko choked out.

Aang just shook his head.

If someone didn't come for them soon, he might not get to be any older.

 **A/N: There ya have it, Like? Love? Hate(plz no)? Let me know! I love hearing from you guys! I'll catch you on the next one!**

 **Writer out! ~0-0~**


	14. Meeting (The Masters)

**A/N: Hello! Back with a new updat ya'll! I'm super proud of this one- I probably did not take as much time as I shoud have to proofread, so there are bound to be lots of errors, I know- BUT I am extreamly happy with how it turned out, and it leads super nicely into the next chapter I have planned (Get ready for pure fluff scenarios between ALL the ships!) Anyway, I'm just slightly in love with this one, yes? (I literally almost cried when writing about Azula, I just triggered my own feels ugh!) And I hope you all love it too!  
Speaking of love- I love reading everything you guys are saying about my story so far- it's so encouraging, thank you so so so much! *HAPPY SUEAL-FANGIRL MODE!* YAY! Seriously, I love reading what you have to say, so please let me know what you think of this chapter!  
Read on!**

 **DISCLAIMER: NOT MINE-SADLY!**

Chapter 14: Meeting (The Masters)

Some time passed and night fell.

"…You just had to pick up the glowing egg. Didn't you." Aang said, more of rehtorical question then anything.

"If it were up to you, we'ed still be stuck in the courtyard." Zuko retorted.

"And yet thanks to you, we are trapped in a pool of glue." Azula said, glaring up at the sky from her position, sandwiched between the two boys.

Aang took a deep breath,

"HELLLLLLP!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, much to Azula's chargin.

"Who are you calling to? Who do you think is going to hear you?" Azula asked, trying her best to look at the Avatar- and failing epically thanks to her stiff and stuck neck.

"Well, what do you think we should do?"

After a beat of silence- Zuko was the one to respond.

"Think about our place in the universe?"

Azula huffed, "Which is most certiantly not here."

Most of their conversations had died out long ago, and the teens were left with nothing to do other then to think their way out of their predicament.

As if her silent plea for someone to get them out of there, footsteps were heard approaching the trio- all of whom were too stuck to wriggle around in order to see who their late-night visitor was.

Of all the things they were expecting- animals, robbers, dragons themselves- they did not expect for an actual sun warrior to come across them in their pitiful state.

But that's what happened, and that's why they were now being licked clean by some type of badger, sitting in front of the natives in the early morning.

Azula was less then pleased to be licked by an animal, but that thought was squashed down in her mind when the group of people in front of them started talking.

"For trying to take our Sun Stone," The obvious leader started, moving forwards towards the three teens, "You must be servealy punished!"

Aang put on his best baby mouse-dog face, looking extreamly sorry.

Azula loked between the people surrounding them and her two companions, waiting for a reaction.

Zuko gave one.

"We didn't come here to take your Sun Stone. We came here to find the origin of all firebending."

A guard stepped up next to the chief, skeptisim lacing his tone. "Yeah right. They are obviously thieves! Trying to steal Sun Worrior treasures!" With that, he gripped the egg closer to his chest as he glared at the three intruders.

Aang decided now was a good as a time as ever to step in.

"Please, I don't normally play this card, but… I'm the Avatar." He left it at that as the guard with the egg looked between him and his chief, still holding the egg close.

Aang-now free of the glue- stood and looked up at the crowd surrounding them.

Azula found she was free and could do the same. Zuko followed suit and all three were standing before the Sun Worriors.

"Just hear us out." Aang continued to plead with the leader.

Zuko spoke up, "My name is Zuko, Crown prince of the Fire Nation."

Azula adopted her brothers tone of voice and stated, "And I am Azula, Princess of the Fire Nation."

Both Zuko and Aang noted briefly how she did not add "crown" before her title, but pushed those thoughts aside in favor of dealing with what was in front of them.

Zuko spoke again, "Or at least we used to be." He glanced down, remembering how both he and his sister lost their titles-for now.

Deciding it best to explain their situation, Zuko kept talking.

"We know our people have distorted the ways of Firebending, to be fuled by anger and rage. But now I… We, want to learn the true way. The original way. When we came here, I never imagined the Sun Worriors civilization was secretly still alive," Azula nodded along, looking out amongst the crowd, their people.

"I Am truly humbled to be in your presence." Zuko finished, bowing his head. Aang did the same.

Azula followed after saying, "I too, am greatly humbled."

"Please," Zuko continued, the three of them raiseing their heads in unison to look out over the crowd again, "Teach us."

The chief seemed to consider things for a moment before answering back in a pinched tone, "If you wis to learn the ways of the sun, you must learn them from the masters- Ran and Shaw."

"…Ran and Shaw?" Aang asked, "There are two of them?" Two was always better then one- Aang had so far found.

The chief stepped forward, looking down at Aang.

"When you present yourselves to them, they will examine you, They will read your hearts. Your souls. And your ancestory." He sepped over, staring down at Zuko as he said this. "If they deem you worthy, they'll teach you. If they don't, You will be destroyed on the spot!" he said this last part quietly and backed away.

Azula stood stock still- staring at the ground.

Heart.

Soul.

Anncestory.

She was going to die today.

Zuko was thinking much the same, remembering all the wrong things not only he, but all of his forefathers before him, had done. The pain they had caused the world.

The Fire Nation siblings looked to one another- horror and fear evident on their faces, uncharacteristic as it was.

When they turned to Aang, he too looked shocked.

His firebending sifu's had done horrible things, of course.

But neither of them had fled from being the Avatar.

All three were silently hoping that whoever Ran and Shaw were, they would be able to look past all their crimes, all their wrongs, in order to let the teachings of true firebending be passed on.

Was it too far fetched to think one of them would not be leaving this place?

-PAGE BREAK!- GETTING INTO IT NOW SUCKERS!-

As the sun rose, and the three teens were licked back to cleanliness, the Sun Worriors led them up to the top of a tall structure. A great and open hall with old pillars still holding the celing up sat at the top.

Aang, Azula and Zuko were led to the far wall of the hall, a large fire burning brightly in the morning light occupied the large fire pit.

The rest of the Sun Worriors all filed in, sitting in semi-circles behind the group.

The teens had kept uiet during the trek up the numerous stairs that led to this strange place, and the kept quiet still as the Chief addressed them.

"If your going to see the Masters, you must bring them a piece of the Eternal Flame. This fire is the very first one!" He said, turning to look back at the young people that had followed him up, "It was given to man by the dragons. We have kept it going for thousands of years."

"I don't believe it." Zuko said in awe as the Chief turned to him.

Azula was staring wide-eyed at the open flames, watching as they danced before her.

The Chief carried on. "You will each take a piece of it to the amsters, to show your commitment to the sacred art of firebending."

Aang raised his hand, then spoke as he rubbed the back of his neck shamefully. "Um, Mister Sun Chief Sir? Eah… I'm not a firebender yet. Couldn't my friends here carry my fire for me?"

Azula glanced at the Avatar out of the corner of her eye. This would not go over well.

The Chief looked at him dead on. "No." He declared simply, turning back to the raging fire.

Aang gulped as he and his friends watched the Chief reach his hands out towards the flame, drawing a stream of it from the rest.

"This ritual," He started, turning around himself as he bent the fire gracefully around himself, "Illustriates the essence of Sun Worrior philosophy." He continued, dividing the stream of fire into three separate flames, one in each palm and one in front of his chest. "You must maintain a constant heat, the flame will go out if you make it to small. Make it too big, you might loose control." He claimed, looking between each of the outsiders.

Zuko moved forward and cupped his hands beneath the flame. Once it was secured, he glanced to the side, watching as Azula gently- a term he never thought could be associated with his sister- took the flame in her hands. If there was one thing she knew how to control, it was fire.

That showed as she balanced the jumping flame in her hands, beautiful but deadly, just as she knew it to be. She breathed in and out, watching the flame grow and dim with her carefully. She had no doubt she and her brother could do this.

The newest addition to her ever growing family, however…

"I'm sorry… I'm just a little nervous." Aang said as he reached out with trembling hands.

Azula watched, mindful of her own bending, and wondered what had made the young boy so apprehensive towards the element. She knew it wasn't because of her and Zuko, he had seen the bend since joining the group and seemed indifferent, and he jumped right into bending all the other elements with ease. So why was fire a problem.

Her train of thought was cut short when the Avatar grasped the flame in his upturned hands. He peeked at it from the corner of his eye before looking at it head on.

"…It's like a little heart beat."

His teachers smirked discreetly as they watched his eyes fill with wonder. They remembered that feeling.

Aang smiled up at the Chief who started speaking again.

"Fire is life," He said, closing his eyes as Aang stared at the small element dancing on his palms. "not just distruction." Aang smiled at that.

"You will take your flame up there," He said, motioning towards two twin oeaks in the distance. All three teens looked in that direction, wondering why they would have to travel so far to meet the masters.

"The cave of the Masters is beneath that rock."

-PAGE BREAK AW YEA-

The group of teens treaked across the forest covered terrain and up to the large rocks looming in the distance. All three of them were being watchful of their fire as they made their way to the cave of the Masters.

Once almost there, Aang began falling back. Azula and Zuko turned to him.

"Hurry up." Zuko said, his tone not exactly urgent, but definatly impatient.

"I can't," Aang said as he struggled up a small patch of rock, flame in one hand while the other found a hold, "If I walk too fast, my flame will go out." He glanced down at the- remarkably smaller- flame in his hand.

"The flame is gonna go out because it's to small," Zuko stated, watching Aang make his way up slowly. Azula found herself moving to help him.

"You're too timid, give it more juice."

Aang came to a rest, his arm supporting his weight as he looked up at his teachers. "What if I can't control it?" He asked as Azula extended her hand down to him.

"You can do it. I know you can. You're a talented kid." Zuko praised. Aang smiled slightly at him as he grabbed Azula's hand and followed her up.

Once he was on level ground again, she rested her hand on his shoulder. He looked to her in confusion.

"You're not alone in this." That was all she said as she followed her older brother up the path, her younger one trotting after them.

By the time the sun was setting, they had made their way to the top.

The twin peaks led to smaller, jagged foot hills forming a large circle around a middle ground. Between the two peaks was a bridge, leading into a cave on either side. A long, wide stair case led up from the middle area to the bridge.

All the Sun Worriors were already present when the teens made their way to top.

The Chief came forward, apparently feeling the need to give them more advice.

"Facing the judgment of the firebending Masters will be very dangerous for you."

Zuko and Azula looked at him seriously, listening as he went on, "Your ancesstors are directly responsible for the dragon's dissaperance."

Zuko looked away, ashamed of what his lineage had caused. Azula kept staring at the Chief.

"The Masters might not be so happy to see you."

The guard next to the Chief spoke up, "I know _I_ wouldn't be."

Aang cut in, "But once they find out I'm the Avatar…"

"Have you forgotten that you vanished? Allowing the Fire Nation to wreak havoc on the world? The decline of the dragon's is your burden too!"

Aang looked away as well. No. He had not forgotten. The guilt weghied hevily on his young mind every day. Every time he saw how extensively the Fire Nation had hurt the world, he blamed himself. He may not have commited genocide. He may not have hunted the dragons. But he was the reason those things had happened in the first place.

If he had stayed, if he had fought all those years ago, the world may have been a better place by now.

He had to live with the consquences of his actions every day.

The Chief lifted his staff, thrusting it downwards into the stone beneath them. He began moving in a rhythmic way towards the young ones, the two guards that had flanked him following his movements. He stepped forward and grabbed a piece of fire from each of the three benders in front of them.

Dividing it evenly, he distributed it out to the guards beside him. They took it and walked away. The Chief himself picked up his staff and made his way to the center of the courtyard.

The Sun Worriors around them all began their own parts, bending fire into large wheels around them, making it flow in a continuous motion.

The teens still at the entrance looked to one another.

"We could turn back now," Aang said, "we've already learned more about fire then we'ed hoped." He said, smiling broadly as he brought the small flame in his ahnd up between him and Zuko.

"No," Zuko said as Azula also shook her head. "We're seeing this through to the end, We're going to meet these masters and find out what's so great about them."

"What if they judge us.. And attack us?" Aang asked timidly, glancing up at the long bride connecting the two caves.

"We're the Royal Fire siblings and the Avatar, I think we could take these guys in a fight, whoever they are." Zuko smirked as he gripped the handle of his dual sword. Azula rolled her eyes.

"Don't get cocky- We have yet to meet them. While I've never been limited in combat, I hate to say there is a first time for everything." She said soundly as she faced forward once more.

Aang just nodded as he too faced forward.

The last of the Sun Worriors set their fire in motion and watched as the teens made their way forward, towards the large staircase.

"Bring 'em out!" Zuko shouted to the Chief. He complied and motioned to the people around him.

"Chanters!"

Some Sun Worriors began banging harshly on drums and chanting rythmicly, the trio made their way up, past all the people around them, and to the base of the 's shadow loomed over them as they approached the Chief. He and the guards stepped aside, allowing the teens to move forward.

The three exchanged worried glances, this was it.

For Aang, it meant facing his past actions, the problems he caused due to his inability to comply with his duties as the new Avatar.

For Zuko, it meant owning up to what his forefathers had done before him, all the destruction they had brought about thanks to their need for power.

For Azula, it was a moment of truth. Would this darkness inside of her come to the surface and rear it's ugly head, or would the light take over, proving her worthy of helping restore balance to the world along side her new family?

There was only one way to find out.

All three took a breath and started up the stairs.

Once at the top, the chanting below stopped. The three looked in either direction, waiting for something to happenen when someone spoke through a horn that magnifyied his voice.

"Those that wish to meet the masters, Ran and Shaw will now present their fire."

The trio looked down at the man- he looked so small from this high up- and then back to one another.

Aang turned to the right as Zuko turned to the left, both bowing and opening up their flame to the caves.

Azula glanced around for a moment before splitting her flame in two, dividing it between her hands and extending her arms in either direction, her head bowed.

"Sound the call!" Could be heard from below as the three kept their positions.

A large sound was made, probably from a long horn. Birds nearby startled and flew away as the mountain began to tremble.

Aang shook, jumoed a little and turned to his teachers in a panic. "What's happening?"

Neither answered as they glanced at him. He turned back and held out his hands again.

Only to find his fire had gone out.

He gasped and turned back to the older teens.

"Guys, my fire went out!"

"What do you want us to do?" Zuko asked as Azula looked at Aang with slight annoyance. This was serious!

Aang bit down on his finger as he glanced at the cave behind him. "give me some of yours!" He lunged at zuko, over Azula. Zuko fought him off, pushing into Azula. She ducked, trying to move out of the way, only to bump into Aang, making her loose her footing. She stumbled, but caught herself before she fell.

The only problem being that her flame went out while she was at it.

She gasped and turned to her brothers. Watching as they struggled against one another.

"Now mine is out too. Good job!" She whispered harshly, the rocks around them still shaking.

Zuko and Aang wrestled over it a little more until Zuko's flame also went out.

All three were thinking the same thing whne the looked to one another.

 _We are so screwed._

At that moment, the rocks shuddered with such great force that the bridge trembled.

And Dragons came rushing at them out of the caves.

 _Definatly screwed._

The three watched in horrific fascination as the Dragons circled and looped around them, seeming to dance in the air.

"…These are the masters." Zuko said with awe as he watched them whip around.

Aang looked back at him and whispered, "Still think we can take them?"

"Shh!...I never said that!" Zuok whispered back, glancing around suspiciously.

Azul would have laughed, if not for the situation.

The Dragons remained circling around and around.

Aang looked at them, thinking, before a realization hit. He glanced over his shoulder at Zuko. "Zuko, I think we're supposed to do the dragon dance with them."

Zuko glanced back skeptically, even Azula had her reservations about this.

"What?! What about this situation makes you think they want us to dance?"

Aang glanced back at them. "Well, I think they want us to do something. Let's just try it."

"..Fine." Zuko growled.

Azula watched as the two boys stood apart slightly, then began moving in the way they had practiced with the statues.

They flowed, moving in sync with the giant beasts that flew around them effortlessly.

Azula knew she had to do something, this was important, sacred almost. She couldn't just stand there!

She saw how the boys moved, slowly and controlled, one move fitting into the next as they sank to the ground and then rose again.

She knew what she had to do.

She took a deep breath and moved directly into the middle of where the boys were. She gracefully lowered herself down into a cross-legged position.

The boys were still moving around her in harmony, and she could almost _feel_ herself becoming a part of that, together with them and the Dragons.

With another deep breath, she brought her hands to her knees, resting them there lightly. She closed her eyes and bowed her head, feeling the hot air rush around her. She took deep breath after deep breath, allowing herself to relax as she felt that framiliar spark within her light up again.

Her firebending.

She could almost feel the fire growing inside of her, the one she controlled so carefully now wild and free, living and breathing inside her as it filled her up. She could feel it buzzing beneath her skin, in her core.

She was back!

She had no doubt her brothers-her family- felt the same intensity of their shared element growing inside them as they moved through the steps of the dance with grace.

Suddenly, the large bouts of movement stopped. She cautiously opened her eyes. Peaking up, she saw the dragons had stopped swimming through the air, and now levitated in the air, facing the two boys.

They moved again, flowing under the bridge and up again, coming to a stop face-to-face with her. She felt her breathing get heavy, her heart punding. Never had she been ths terrified, felt this much anticipation as she watched the masters of her element regard her with a knowledge she would never understand.

The boys came to stand around her still-seated form, all three staring into the face of the beasts.

There was a beat of silence.

Then the Dragons landed, clamoing onto the bridge. They opened their large maws, and blasted fire out at the three young ones.

All three screamed in terror-though at least two of them would never admit to it- until they realized what was happening.

They looked up to see a huge, thick coloum of fire- laced with hundreds of different colors and shades- circling and swirling around them.

The three looked up in awe, the reflection of the light dancing in their eyes as they took in every aspect of the marvle before them.

"…I understand." Zuko said quietly. Azula couldn't help but think the same, watching as the fire grew around them.

Then, just as quick as it had started, it ended. The Dragons launched themselves into the air and split off back into the caves from which they came.

The three were left there, dumbfounded.

The Sun Warriors below put out their flames, bowing their heads as they came to a rest.

The three made their way down the steps, back towards the Chief.

"Their fire was beautiful." Zuko said, "I saw so many colors, colors I never imagined." He said, still awestruck.

"I've never seen anything that powerful before." Azula said breathily, she was still trembling.

"Like firebending harmony." Aang said as they reached the bottome of the staircase.

"Yes," The Chief said as they approached, "They judged you, and gave you visions of the meaning of firebending."

"I can't believe there are still living dragons," Zuko shared, glancing down, "My uncle Iroh said he faced the last dragon, and killed it."

"So your uncle lied," Aang said, looking at the fire nation siblings.

"Actually, it wasn't a total lie," The chief said, looking somewhat amused, "Iroh was the last outsider to face the masters, they deemed him worthy and decided to pass the secret on to him as well."

Zuko and Azula glanced at one another, shocked. This whole time, he had known? So much about him suddeny became crystal clear.

"He must have lied to protect them." Zuko said, turning back to the Chief. "So no one else would hunt them."

Aang looke from Zuko to the Chief. "All this time, I thought firebending was destruction. Scince I hurt Katara, I've been too afraid and hesitant,"

Ah, so that was why. Azula and Zuko now understood why he had been so abstinent about bending the last element.

"But now I know what it really is." Determination laced his voice and settled on his features. "It's energy, and life." He smiled at the Chief as Zuko and Azula thought about it.

"Yeah.." Zuko said, looking away for a moment, "It's like the sun, but inside of you! Do you guys realize this?" He asked with the same giddy hyperness that Azula felt inside herself.

The Chief answered, "Well, our civilization is called the 'Sun Worriord', so yeah."

Zuko glanced away, thinking,"That's why our firebending was so weak before! Because for so many years- for me at least- Hunting you was my drive," He said, turning to Aang, "It was my purpose, so when I joined you, I lost sight of my inner fire. But now, I have a new drive, I have to help you defeat my father, and restore balance to the world."

Azula stepped up. "I was set on overthrowing anyone I needed to in order to secure a place on the throne. After realizing that I no longer wanted or needed that, I lost my fire too. I needed a new purpose as well. Now, I too know what I must do. I have to help you as well, Avatar Aang. We both do, in order to save the world from caving in on itself."

Zuko nodded and, stepping forward, he shot a blast of fire out into the open air, watching as all his previous power and then some came back to him.

Aang followed suit, reveling in how in control he finally felt of this element.

Azula grinned and kicked outward, a blast of blue fire shooting out from the sole of her foot.

The chief approached them again. "Now that you have learned the secrets, and you know about our tribe's existance, we have no choice but to imprison you here, forever!"

Azula, Zuko and Aang all took a step back in shock, actually willing to fight their way out if they had too.

The Chief, however, then smiled. "Just kidding!" All three young ones sighed in relief. "But seriously, don't tell anyone."

-PAGE BREEEEEAAAAKKK-

The group of once-again-benders mad etheir way back to the Air temple.

Upon arrival, they were-of course- questioned on what they had learned.

They gave a few demonstrations, including the Firebending form they had learned from the staues, Azula chose to sit it out, but described in detail what had happened.

As Zuko and Sokk bickered about the form being a dance or not, KAtara approached Azula.

"What you dexcribed, It's like hiw I feel during a full moon, full of power that I'm almost afraid to control.

Azula smiled at the girl that was slowly becoming a sister to her. Ok not slowly, more like rapidly.

She put a hand on her shoulder, "Don't be afraid to control it. My instructors always told me that you are only as strong as you let yourself be. If you are able to use your bending to It's full potential, do it!" She encouraged, still slightly giddy over her new found power.

Katara smiled. "Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. But how did Aang do?"

Azula was slightly irritated by the waterbenders question. She and Toph had discussed that they would defienatly be playing matchmaker for Katara and Zuko. But that was hard to do when the waterbending master's attention was constantly pulled towards the young Avatar.

But, Azula respected Katara, as a friend and fellow teacher, so she gave her that much. "He did great. He finally learned how to control it…speaking of which," Azula said, turning to face Katara completely, 'He said the reason he was so afraid of bending it had something to do with hurting you."

Katara grimced, but nodded. "It's how I found out that I have healing abilities. When he was first learning firebending, he got a bit carried away. I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and he ended up burning my hands. He didn't forgive himself for it, but I was able to heal myself."

Azula nodded thoughtfully. "Well, I'm just glad he can actually bend it now."

Katara nodded. They would rest tonight, but tomorrow, the real training began. Sokka had suggested an all out sparing match in one of the court yards- every man for himself. Katara looked forward to see who would be the last one standing.

Everyone had a lot of work to do in the following days.

 **A/N: There it is! Like I said- suuupppeeerrr happy how this one turned out, at first it was only about 1/4 the size it is now- we could not have that! So I hope you all liked it! Let me know! I'll catch ya on the next one!**

 **Writer Out! ~0-0~**


	15. All's Fair (In Play and Practice)

**A/N: Wow. It took me a lot of time (and a lot of ice cream-but mostly time) To get through this one! I'm not sure how I feel about it, I think it turned out good (And I proof read it this time YAY!) but it took me a while to work through it- and FEELS ugh why? I'm no good at angst-like I get too depressed and and just start going "Ok, time to make this happy" Then I turn it around and it just don't work- I did break a little outta my comfort zone for this one (Like all good writers should!) and like I said- I think it turned out ok. But you guys are the ones taking it all in, So let me know what you think! Thank you for the constructive reveiws I have been getting! You guys are great, and your advice really does help, so keep it up! I'll stop rambling now!**

 **DISCLAIMER: YOU KNEW THE DRILL- I OWN NOTHING!**

Chapter 15: All's Fair (In Play And Practice)

It was all Sokka's idea.

Ever since the Boiling Rock prison break, he had been itching to hone his skills.

His father and Chit Zang had been up for three hours by the time the teens all woke up. They were off in another building scattered through out the upside down city of air. As Katara bent water into a pot for boiling, she could hear the two grown men grunting each time a hit fell. She could see them clearly, just one building over. Her father had the upper hand, holding Chit Zang in a head-lock, waiting for the bigger man to tap out. When he finally did, he turned around and the two shook hands, ready for another round.

Azula streached her arms up above her head as she made her way over to Katara.

"Morning." She said through a yawn.

Katara giggled at how un-lady like the princess was at that moment. She was glad though, it showed Azula was opening up around them. "Morning, could you light this?" Katara absentmindedly gestured to the stack of kindling and leaves Zuko and Sokka had brought back minutes before hand.

Azula did as asked without much thought, as her eyes too were now on the men across the way. The only difference being that Sokka and Zuko had joined with their swords, obviously ready to warm up with a little swordsmenship practice before the real sparring came after breakfast.

It was all well and fine, she watched the two boys unsheath their swords, all good.

You know, that is until Sokka decided to rip his shirt off.

Now, Azula was not one to be easily swayed when it came to the male department. In fact, most men cowered in fear at the sight of her-or, at least they used to.

But you would have to be blinder then Toph to not see that this boy was attractive. He was hot with his shirt on as it was- but off?

Azula had to look away quickly, the sight having caught her off guard. She cleared her throat as she desperately tried to look at anything in the room to get her mind off _that_ course.

"Azula? Are you ok? Your cheeks are really red." Katara asked with that motherly concern of hers.

The firebending prodigy desperately tried to say something intelligent, but she was too slow and the next thing she knew, Katara was at her side, putting a hand to her forehead.

"Hmm, you don't seem warm…" The healer muttered as Azula yelped and backed away, still not 100% used to open physical contact from others.

"Um…I'm fine!" she said, shaking her head vigorously.

Katara looked at her in slight confusion, then past her to where the boys were still getting ready for their sword fight.

She noted Sokka's lack of attire and smirked.

"Huh…See something interesting, Azula?" The waterbender teased her friend, watching in mirth as she turned a shade darker.

"I have no idea what you are talking about." She said pointedly, keeping her back to the men.

"Oh really? Because I thi-eep!" Katara let out a yelp herself when she saw that now, not only had Sokka shed his outter layers, but Zuko had also.

She may have still hated him, but that didn't mean she never noticed his…assets.

Azula saw the other girl's reaction and cautiously turned around. She deliberately kept her eyes away from the young Water Tribesmen and glanced around. Only to find her brother, Also shirtless.

"Huh." She said, turning back with a smirk to the now red Katara, "See something interesting, Katara?"

The master waterbender turned a fierce glare on the girl "Shut up."

"No no no. Save that fire for the battle field. Something tells me we'll need it." Azula said, glancing back at the boys, now engaged in a battle.

"Oh, are you intimidated?" Katara asked, playfully flicking water at Azula. Azula flinched slightly-once more caught off guard, and scowled half-heartedly at the mini-attack.

"Hardly. I just know that no one will be holding back today."

"Well," Katara said slowly, as she threw ingredients into the now simmering water, "I just hope no one will get distracted by certain… battle attire. You know, my brother trains shirtless quite a bit."

Katara had to hold back a snicker as Azula gasped.

Azula caught herself, though and smirked, putting one hand on her hip while she examined the nails of the other nonchalantly. "Yeah, ZuZu does too. He doesn't like when it sticks to him when he's sweaty."

Azula had no idea if that was true, but it was worth it to see Katara trying to hide a blush behind the food she bent out of the bowl, stirred and put back again.

"Well, good for him." She said lamely, glaring into the pot as Azula failed at snuffling a giggle.

The Princess sobered up quickly though, and looked at Katara with curiosity. "What is it with you two anyway?"

Katara's head snapped up and she stared at Azula in confusion for a moment. "With your brother?" The Fire Nation girl nodded and Katara glowered off to the side.

"It's nothing."

"Well, obviously it's something. You treat him coldly, even for my standards. I just don't understand, you've forgiven me-which I'm thankful for, but why not him?"

Katara sighed. "It wouldn't make sense if I told you." She said with a hint of finality, stiring around whatever was in the pot some more- probably with a bit more force then necessary.

"Try me." Azula said, hands returning to her hips.

Katara huffed, considering her options, A) Tell Azula she doesn't like her brother because she was starting to feel for him- risk the possibility that she will report back to said brother about the gathered information, or B) Try to brush it off and possibly risk Azula feeling as though she is not trusted.

She wanted Azula to know she was trusted. Because she did trust her! She just didn't trust that the girl would try to medel in her relationships for a kick-much like Toph.

Though, if she wanted to medel in Katara's relationships, something told her that Azula would find another way to do it if not like this.

She made her decision, but with conditions, "Fine. But if I tell you, you can't tell your brother."

She felt like a small child asking her best friend not to tattle tale on her, but she went along with it nonetheless.

"I won't." Azula said. Something about her tone and the way she smirked told Katara otherwise. Oh yes, she and Toph had defienatly been over this.

Katara rolled her eyes but related the story anyway. "When we were imprisoned together in Ba Sing Se-Thank you for that, by the way." She said, sending a pointed look in Azula's direction.

Azula looked away. "Sorry about that... Continue."

"Anyway, we both told each other some…pretty heavy stuff."

"About our mother I assume." Azula said point blank, Katara looked at her in surprise. "What? I knew he wouldn't talk about his banishment with anyone, that was more a personal vendetta he had against our father- or he took it as a challenge, whatever- and you perhaps already knew about it- oh no? Oh well, anyway, it was either that, or Our mother. Wild guess." Azula said, answering when the Water Tribe girl had shaken her head no, she did not know the story behind the banishment.

"Well, it doesn't matter about what-but, He got me feeling sorry for him, and…I offered to heal his scar-"

"You what!?"

"I know, it was stupid-"

"No. not really. He must have been greatful for that. I don't think anyone besides our uncle has cared enough about him to do something like that." Azula said, glancing back at the boys, still locked in fierce combat.

"Well, he had an awful way of showing it. I had thought he changed-"

"I know, I heard you yelling at him."

"Okay, if you want to hear the story, stop interrupting," she chastised lightly. Azula nodded and Katara went on, "I thought he had changed. I had given him a piece of my background that I haven't really disclosed to anyone else. When he did the same, I…after that, he chose to side with you. I felt… cheated, somehow. He betrayed us. Betrayed me." She said the last part quietly- almost to herself, but Azula caught it.

She stayed quiet as Katara finished, her voice slightly thick. "I don't want to let him in again- just for him to do the same thing. I think it would hurt a lot more this time around…"

Azula glanced over to where her brother was using his discarded shirt as a towel, drying his face. Azula knew for a fact that her brother had changed for the better. He never was one to backstab. She was sure the only reason he had in Ba Sing Se was because he was offered what he had so desperately wanted for years. It would be hard for anyone to say no to that.

But if she herself had changed, how much more so would Zuko have? He had always been the better of the two of them- though she hated to admit it.

She turned her attention back to the girl that was still stiring the food. If Katara trusted her of all people, Why not her brother? Even when they were children, Azula had admired his bright kindness- the kind that only their mother could bring out. The kind that their father found foolish. He still had that in him. If she could see it, Why couldn't Katara?

She sighed. "Look, If it makes you feel any better, why don't I talk to him for you?"

Katara's head snapped up, her blue eyes resting on Azula's gold ones. "That is the exact opposite of what I would like you to do."

"Well, I can tell you one thing for sure. He was always the…nicer, of the two of us. Wouldn't it be logical- forgiving him? Because you forgave me, even though I've done worse things then him."

Katara shook her head, Stirring the food around some more.

"Look, I know this is hard for you to understand-you don't really strike me as someone to act on her emotions- but this involves a lot more then just the logical side of things."

"Well… Maybe today will change some things between the two of you."

Katara snorted, looking back up to Azula, "I don't see how."

"One thing I have learned is that many things bring people together. Believe it or not, I have had people who were close to me… one thing that bonds people in trust and…friendship, is training together. You both see you are working towards a common goal." Azula stated, punctuating it by bringing her fist down into her other hand.

Katara just looked at the boys again, whom were getting ready for yet another round. She sighed. Who knows, maybe her ex-nemises was right about her ex-nemises.

"Breakfast is ready!"

Everyone began gathering into the room they had been using as a common area. Katara went to work, dishing up portions of food into bowls, handing them off one by one to her little patch-up family.

"This looks great! What is it?" Aang asked as he sttled down next to Toph.

Katara smiled, "Just some vegatables we had left." She answered, blindly handing off the last dish.

"Thank you." Her smile fell at the sound of Zuko's raspy voice.

She turned to him, ready to glare at him just for good mesure, only to find she couldn't.

Because he was just standing there, unabashed and shirtless as they come.

She felt her cheeks heat up aginst her will as he turned away to go sit somewhere.

 _NO! BAD! You don't like him- no matter how attractive he is shirtless. With his abs and his…NO!_

Katara shook her head, sitting down next to Aang. She was about to say something- anything- to get her mind off of the shirtless Prince sitting across from her, but Toph beat her to it.

"So, what's the plan for this 'all out spar day'?"

Sokka swallowed the mound of food he had shovled into his mouth before answering.

"It's simple. The rules are- Every man for himself, team ups are allowed, but only one person can remain standing by the end of the match. We might have multiple rounds, depending on how quickly everyone is eliminated,"

"And how do you get eliminated?" Katara asked, moving her food around her plate with little interest. To her surprise and distatse, Zuko answered.

"There are different ways. You could be entrapped by another…player, or backed into some place that does not have your element- leaving you unable to bend. Ultimately, if you can't fight back, you're out."

"Sounds exciting. What are the boundries?" Azula asked, taking another bite of her breakfast.

"You have to stay on temple grounds. You can use the outside to your advantage, but you can't go any further then the edge of the woods. If you step outside that- immediate elimination." Sokka replied.

"So, if someone were to drive you out, you would be eliminated?" Aang asked, already forming a game plan, not that anyone would expect that of him.

"Exactly! Oh, and if you try to sneak back into the game, you will be punished after dinner." Sokka grinned, obviously he had come up with that.

"The punishment being what? No meat for a week?" Toph asked, snickering when Sokka made a sound that resembled a fish flopping out of water.

"Never! No, you get to clean all the dishes."

"Oh," Katara smiled, "I look forward to handing the task off for the night."

"What does the winner get?" Azula asked, thinking of the important thing.

Sokka shrugged, "Bragging rights?"

The group just rolled their eyes. At least everyone would get a chance to train today.

"Strap up. We start in ten minutes." Zuko said as he rose.

"Who put you in charge?" Katara asked, getting in that glare she missed earlier.

"I did. Now let's go, I'm ready to win!" Sokka said, going to stand also.

Toph jutted a fist out, smaking Sokka with a slab of rock so hard, he flew back about ten feet.

"Oh look, you lost!" The small bender grinned, ignoring his shouts of indignation.

This was going to be fun.

Within 10 minutes, everyone was gathered around the fire pit, various wepons strapped to their backs and ready to bend their elements.

Haru, Teo and The Duke had chosen to sit this one out, deciding to be referees stationed at different points around the Air temple, in case any arguments about who was out of the game arose.

Hakoda and Chit Zang also decided to step out, wanting to watch the young ones express their skill in a relaxed atmosphere for once.

That narrowed it down quite a bit, leaving only the Fire Nation siblings, the Water tribe siblings, the Avatar and the Greatest Earthbender Alive all standing around the fire pit, going over the guidelines one last time.

"If you use any potentially life-threatining blows, aim to injure, not to kill." Sokka insited, pointedly looking at Azula, who scowled in return. She wasn't going to kill her friends!

"A-aim to injure? Are you sure about that?" Aang asked, glancing at all the stronger, and remarkably larger teens around him. Sure, he was the Avatar- but he was still a kid, and not as advanced as some of the fighters here.

Sokka nodded. "Yes, Katara would be happy to patch us up afterward." Sokka said, as if it were a done deal.

"Would I now?" His sister asked, looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Heh.. I-I mean, could you?"

"That's better… Don't worry Aang, no one will get seriously hurt." Katara reassured, resting a hand on Aang's shoulder.

"Speak for yourself- I hope to leave you dudnder-heads unable to walk for weeks after this!" Toph said, cracking her knuckles.

"Toph, if you did that, we wouldn't be able to fight off actual enimes of ours." Azula pointed out. While she was trusting of Katara's healing capabilities, she wasn't sure she would be able to heal someone if Toph broke every bone in their body.

"Buzzkill."

"Alright, we're ready." Zuko said, moving back from the group, keeping his eyes trained on everyone, as if he expected them to start attacking already.

"Everyone move out, I'll give Teo the cue to sound the 'Appa'!" Aang said, referring to the sound Appa would make to signal the start of the game.

Everyone fled to a part of the air temple, no alliances yet made. Aang waved at Teo, who rubbed Appa's head. The large Bison groaned- the sound reverberating through out the entire revine.

It was on!

Katara had immediately ran to one of the bathing pools that were littered around the temple. Apparently people used to spend multiple days at a time there, obviously a need for bathing pools was in order.

She was as quiet as she could be, her Painted Lady skills kicking in.

Too bad she never learned to listen for others trying to be sneaky.

Within 13 seconds of entering the giant wash hall, she bumbed into someone from the back.

She whirled around, and… Of _course_ it was Zuko.

"What are you doing here?!" She asked angrily.

He just raised an eyebrow, pulling a flame into the plam of his hand-indicating he was ready to take her on if need be.

Oh, right. They were supposed to be sparring.

"Why aren't you attacking?" She asked, proving there was always something she could use aginst him.

"Why aren't you?" He countered. She was in a place filled with water, of course she had sparring in mind. He wasn't even sure why he came in here- he knew it would be the perfect place for her hideout.

 _Because you wanted to be near the object of your affection._ A voice-that sounded suspiciously like his uncle- said in the back of his mind. He ignored it.

Katara would have responded, but a voice cut her short.

"Well, your guys' loss for not attacking, guess it's up to me!"

Toph had been standing behind a large pillar. Now making herself known, she pushed her hands out in front of her and lifted them upward.

Katara and Zuko would have attacked-seriously, they would've!- If not for the fact that the attack came from their blind spots, directly behind them. Two tall slabs of earth jutted up from the ground and shoved the two together, leaving them stuck pressed against one another.

"Wh-Toph! Let us go!" Katara yelled, wiggling against Zuko, trying to break free.

Toph doubled over, laughing. "Have fun getting out of that one! I'll see you after I win!"

With that she ran off to go find Aang-her next target- leaving the two teachers behind. Azula would be porud when she told her.

"Um…so.." Zuko started awkwardly.

Katara was in no mood to talk. Her back was pressed against the wall behind her, her right arm was pinned to her side, her left between her and Zuko's shirtless torso, her face was nearly smushed up against his rib cage. Her legs were twisted with his in the most uncomfortable position imaginable, legs between thighs and knees digging into the wall behind Zuko.

She noted with some mesure of relief that the dirt used to make the slabs of earth was not packed very tightly. Maybe if she used enough water, she could turn it all to mud.

The only hard part would be moving her arms.

"Hold still for a minute. I'm going to try something." She stated, leaving no room for argument.

"Please do." Zuko said. He had no way of getting them out. He could char the dirt, causing it to crumble- but that would risk burning Katara or himself.

So he just sat patiently. Well as patiently as he could- the strange position he was in cuasing his mucles to start aching.

His arms were bent, his forearms reating on eaither side of Katara's head, his back flush against the earth behind him. One leg was bent at a 90 degree angle, inbetween two of Katara's. the other was keeping him balanced somewhat.

He had to remind himself to breathe as Katara moved against him. He also had to desperatly ignore the fact that they were half naked-as she had donned her training outfit, the one that exposed much more skin then necessary- and the fact that they were flush aginst one another.

All thanks to a conniving little raven-haired girl dressed in green.

Needless to say, it was getting hard to think straight.

Katara was working on freeing her arm, she moved it around a bit, trying not to focus on how she was rubbing up against Zuko's bare abs.

Finally, with a grunt of success, she freed her trapped arm, able to move it around a bit.

She called water over to them, trying to bend as much of it as possible with just one arm. Once she got all she could she muttered a "hold your breath" to Zuko.

The next thing he knew, water was dropped on top of them.

Katara worked on weaving the water in and out of the earth around them, making the dirt muddy.

Once moist enough, they pushed free, backing away from each other as quickly as possible.

Zuko looked at the mound of mud now covering the dirt floor. "Nice work…" He said, turning back to Katara.

Only to freeze when he took in what he saw.

Katara was soaked from head to toe, covered in mud, in a _white_ outfit.

It took them both all of half a second to figure out what had happened as Katara yelped and called up some water to shield herself.

Zuko stammered out some nonsense as he hastily made his way to the door. Once he was there, he threw a quick "sorry" and sprinted down the hall. He made his way to his room and quickly got changed, trying to throw away some very inappropriate thoughts from his mind.

Despite being a 16 year old prince, he had rarely seen anything like… _that_. Sure, he and Mai had gone the whole way, but she never looked anything as exotic as-

 _NO! No no no no no no no! NO! Bad Zuko! Back to sparring, NO!_

Zuko threw a shirt on over his head, still wiping mud off his arms, and made his way back out.

He was so done for.

Katara bent herself dry, brushing the dirt from her skin.

She was fuming.

But had no time to think of it, all she could do was throw her tunic over her head and get revenge on Toph later.

She had a sparring match to win.

After about a minute, Sokka cautiously made his way from his stronghold, using light steps to carry him through the halls. He stopped when he heard whispering.

Peering around a large coloum in one hall, he took note of Aang whispering to Momo.

Sokka shook his head. Newbie.

He carefully un-tucked his boomerang from behind his back, preparing to strike.

"SNEAK ATTACK!" He yelled at the top of his lungs as her charged at Aang.

The younger boy startled for a moment, then regained his senses. He wasted no time in using a blast of air to propel the worrior back a few feet.

Sokka was expecting this, so he threw his boomerang with expert aim just before the blast hit.

It glided through the air, coming close to Aang's head, missing only by about three inches.

Forgetting the nature of boomerangs briefly, Aang pointed at Sokka and laughed. "Ha! You missed!"

Sokka, picking himself up from the ground, smirked and said, "Did I though?"

"Huh?" Aang asked intelligently just as the wepon came back, full force and hit him over the head.

"OW!" He yelped as he fell face first onto the dusty floor.

"Haha! Point one Sokka!" The older boy said, jumping up in the air a little ways.

His momentary victory was cut short as another blast hit, this time accompanied by a small tremor in the earth, throwing his butt out into the courtyard.

Toph moved from the shadows, her arms held at an odd angle, ready to strike again.

"Wow. Does this mean we're on the same team now?" Aang asked hopefully.

"Hardly." She smirked, stomping her foot into the ground, launching her friend into the air and out next to Sokka.

Both boys sat up, rubbing their heads.

Sokka was quicker and got up to his feet. He pulled out Space Sword and pointed it at Aang's head.

"HA! Cornered!" He said, looking down on the younger boy.

Siad boy just smiled sweetly as Sokka was again launched into the air.

"I don't think so Captian Boomerang!" Toph shouted, turning to Aang.

"Thanks! But I take it we still aren't a team?" He asked. She just smiled.

"Nope!"

He sighed dramticaly. "Well then. I'm sorry it had to come to this." Quickly, so she wouldn't be able to react, He lifted himself using his bending. When he got far up enough, He grabbed her with a pocket of air, lifting her.

"Hey! Wh- TWINKLE TOES! PUT ME DOWN! I CAN'T SEE!"

"Sorry, Toph, that's the point!" He giggled as he- gently, he wasn't out to hurt her- tossed her a few feet away.

And directly over the edge of the woods.

Her outraged scream was overshadowed by loud groaning of Appa, indicating that someone was out.

"Already?" Katara muttered to herself as she stealthily made her way to one of the fountains in an upper hall near the front of the air temple.

She had spent a few minutes checking if the coast was clear before leaving the bathing hall. She was not about to loose this thing. Not yet, she still had to get revenge on both Zuko adnToph.

Zuko-admiditly- did nothing wrong. He had been quick to shield his eyes and run. What a gentleman. But she still didn't like him, so why not take out her frustrations on him?

She settled on the side of the fountain, staring down into the water. Sighing, she twirled her fingers around, calling the water to them. She watched as the small streams danced around at her command, smiling.

She was entirely unaware of the tall, lean form lurking behind a near-by pillar.

Zuko watched as the mocha-skinned girl absentmindedly bent her element. Such ease and grace. It was gorgeous.

He huffed and slumped against the pillar. He was getting in deep. And the picture of her in nothing but her bending outfit did nothing to help him.

"Spying _again_ ZuZu?" Zuko jumped a good distance into the air- nearly blowing his cover- at his sister's voice.

"…Shouldn't you be attaking me right now?" He asked after steadying himself.

"Shouldn't you? Or are you too busy drooling over our waterbender?"

 _Our?_ Zuko shook his head. "I wasn't drooling."

"Sure." Azula said sarcastically, also looking around the pillar to Katara. She was still sitting, but now had her attention directed at the entrance of the hall, awaiting an attack.

"Here is what we are going to do," Azula started in a no-nonsense tone, pulling her brother's attention back to her. "We are going to go out there and act like we teamed up. I will try to get us into a compromising position where you will have to choose between siding with me or Katara. Choose Katara."

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "Why? You would be out. Why do it?" He was obviously skeptical.

Azula glanced back at Katara, thinking of how she had been entrusted with how the waterbender felt about Zuko. She was not about to go back on that trust. So, instead of giving the real reason why, Azula just said, "Because I would love to see you two getting along! Now get moving." She directed, pointing towards Katara.

 _Yeah, getting along. That would be great!_ Zuko thought sarcastically- still blocking out certain images from his mind.

The two left the cover of the pillar.

"Well, well, well. What have we here?" Azula said, causing Katara to whip around in surprise.

The master waterbender would be lying if she said it was not un-nerving to see the two siblings slowly making their way over to her, ready to fight.

Just like old times.

Katara took a steadying breath before smirking, looking _away_ from Zuko. She started drawing water up around her arms.

"Finally, the re-match I've been waiting for."

Meanwhile, back where Sokka lay, dazed after being tossed around so much, Aang approached him.

The Water Tribesman sat up, shaking his head. His Space Sword lay a few inches from him. Aang noticed and shot it into the air using a spiked up piece of earth forming directly under it.

It landed about three feet behind him. He glanced back at it before turning back to Sokka.

He smiled. "Well, looks like you're defensless."

Sokka laughed. "I always come back," He discreetly reached behind him, grabbing hold of his wepon, "Like my BOOMERANG!" He shouted, standing and flinging it at Aang.

This time, however, the Avatar was ready. He swiftly turned and caught the Boomerang on it's back-track using a sphere of air.

Sokka blanched as he realized he was done for.

Aang wasted no time in flicking his wrists, sending the angled wepon directly at Sokka.

Aang had expected it to hit him in the face, but at the last second, Sokka ducked out of the way. He then rolled to the side, sprung up, and sprinted past Aang. As he passed it, he grabbed his Space Sword. He turned just in time to see his boomerang hit a distracted Aang squarely in the back of the head.

Aang stood for a moment, swayed, then dropped like a rag-doll.

"Sorry buddy," Sokka said, leaning down and grabbing his boomerang,"All's fair in love and war!"

He ran off towards the air temple, hearing as Appa groaned, signaling another fallen player.

"Two down, Three to go." Azula said, slinking closer to Katara, her finger tips raised and ready to strike.

Zuko followed- a bit more hesitantly.

Katara scowled, ready for whatever came her way.

Azula took a breath, quickly turned around herself and shot a long, wide stream of fire into the air. Without stalling, she brought it down where Katara had been standing moments before.

The waterbender had rolled to the side, water still coating her arms.

As soon as she found her footing, she launched into two separate attacks at once, sending one blast of water at Zuko and one at Azula.

Azula doged, backflipping over herself-thank you Ty-Lee- and landing in time to see her brother get knocked to his butt.

He shook the water from his hair before leaping up, punching out a fist, and sending a stream of fire at Katara, similar to her own attack.

Azula was trying to find an opening as her brother and the girl she wanted as a sister-in-law went at it.

Thankfully, one was provided.

Just as Katara hefted a large spike made of ice in the Prince's direction-Holy dragons she was trying to _kill_ him- A streak of blue rammed into Zuko, full force, knocking him to the ground.

Sokka was in the house.

The two boys rolled around and over one another a few times before coming to a stop.

Sokka had Zuko pinned beneath him, his space sword pointed at the Prince's throat.

"Ha! Trapped ya!"

Zuko said nothing as he slowly raised his body heat. A trick he had learned from his uncle. While he could tolerate it, anyone in direct contact with him would be burned if he let it get high enough.

And that is exactly what he did.

After about a minute and a half of Sokka just sitting there, wondering why on earth Zuko was getting progressively warmer, it bacme painfully clear when every part of his body that was touching Zuko, started to burn.

Even his shirt started smoaking.

"AHHH!" The worrior yelped as he lept off the Prince as quickly as he could, allowing Zuko to rise.

"Hey," Sokka said, pointing his sword at the Prince, still patting down his shirt, "Not fair, I didn' know you could do that!"

"All's fair." Zuko said simply, turning back to the cat fight that had been taking place while he was pinned under Sokka.

As soon as Sokka had rolled in, Katara had turned her attention to Azula.

She recalled all the water to her, sending out mini spikes towards the Princess.

Azula doged, on some occasions she melted the ice bullets head on using nothing but her breath.

When Katara grew tired of the spikes, she jumped onto the edge of the fountain. She took a deep breath and directed it at the ground. It resulted in a slippery surface, cuasing Azula to slide around.

Katara lept from her perch, having no trouble navigating the ice, and began to duel with Azula, hand combat style.

The firebender grit her teeth as she tried not to fall. She threw a glance at the boys when she heard Sokka yelp, her attention momentarily caught as she watched him hop around, frantically pating his chest.

Was he ok?

Katara took advantage of the other girl's momentary lapse, jabbing her fingers into Azula's neck like Ty-Lee had done to her.

Apparently she didn't do it just rght, because Azula just turned back to her with an affronted look on her face.

"Did youo just try to Chi block me?" She asked, genuine curiosity lacing her tone. If the answer was yes, Azula was impressed at her willingness to try something she had never learned before.

"Um…Yes?"

Azula smirked. She had caught Katara off guard, as predicted.

She swept her feet underneath the girl, knocking her to the ground.

Katara yelped as she went down. Before hitting, however, she bent up some water from the ice beneath them, shooting it directly into Azula's face and freezing it in place.

Muffled sounds of shock were heard from the girl as she stumbled back. She somehow managed to keep her balance, and grounded herself long enough to melt the ice off her face.

When she looked around, she saw Sokka, Katara and Zuko all aiming at her, ready with differing attack methods.

Azula glanced around the group, much like she had when they had cornered her back in that abandoned Earth Kingdom town.

She briefly locked gazes with her brother, hoping to relay what she was going to do through her eyes.

Apparently he understood, as he nodded his head marginaly.

Azula looked to Katara, held her gaze and simotenously sent a small wave of fire at Sokka's feet.

The boy's had moved onto the ice, so when Azula did this, Sokka yelped, jumped up and landed, only to have his feet nearly fly out from underneath him.

He struggled to regain his footing, in the process, putting a large amount of distance between him and the others. In one last attempt to get back to his feet, he pitched himself forwars, hoping to compensate the unbalance. All he accomplished was falling flat on his face as his feet slipped out from beneath him.

Both his wepons went sliding in different directions as he slid to the far wall, coming to a stop with a pout on his face. He knew from experience that there was no way he was getting up from this without a fight. One that could lead to him being knocked unconscious. He had no choice but to wait for Katara to melt the ice.

Word must have gotten round to the referees, because a few seconds later, Appa groaned once more. Three down.

Two to go.

Katara and Zuko were still keeping Azula in her spot. Zuko was glancing at Katara, then to his sister, then back again.

Azula smirked. Time to accomplish her mission.

"You have a choice here, ZuZu." She said sweetly, looking from Katara to her brother. "Who are you siding with this time?"

He looked back.

A sick feeling coiled inside him as they re-enacted what had happened in Ba Sing Se. he clenched his jaw as he looked to Katara. She was pointedly ignoring him, looking only at Azula.

He knew siding with her wouldn't matter. They weren't in a real fight, he could call it quits right now if he really wanted too. It's not like he would be betraying Katara again.

Zuko understood- somewhat- where Azula was coming from with this.

It was a test for him. To show Katara that he was sorry and wanted to change. It wouldn't make any real difference who he chose to follow this time. They were all on the same side.

But it was what his choice symbolized that counted.

He looked between the two girls.

His mind, he realized, had been made up a long time ago.

With one more glance thrown at Katara, he turned to his sister.

He shouted as he threw a fist forward, fire following obediently. Azula-to her credit- did try to deflect the blow, she had been expecting it after all. She just wasn't expecting it to be as powerful as it was.

She was knocked back, head over heels. She landed with a 'thud' and slid back, over by Sokka, it was clear that she was in no condition to get to her feet again.

When Zuko had aimed for his sister, Katara had to keep herself from gasping. Did that really just happen?

She was trying to figure out why Zuko would choose her, when it hit her.

This set up was disgustingly framiliar. Katara watched as Azula slid back over by Sokka. Only one word went through her mind as she realized that the only way this would have happened-this playing out almost exactly as it had in Ba Sing Se- was if Azula had asked her brother to go along with it. One word.

 _Traitor._

Katara glanced back at Zuko. He had been watching as his sister came to a stop. When he looked back, he was expecting to see Katara standing there.

Instead, he got a face full of water.

The hit was so strong it lifted him off the ground and sent him flying into the fountain he had found Katara on.

Two more groans were sounded as Katara was the last one left standing.

She huffed angrily and stormed over to Azula as Zuko lifted his head up from the fountain, spiting water out of his mouth.

Katara bent the water up from the ground, relieving it of the ice, freeing Sokka-who ran off, presumably to go check on the unconscious Avatar- and held the water over her head threateningly.

She loomed over the other girl, who sat up, shaking her head.

"Azula." Katara growled.

When she heard her name, she looked up and blanched slightly.

"I thought we were finished?"

"And _I_ thought I could trust you. I guess I was wrong. I seem to make that mistake a lot when it comes to your family." Katara spat coldly. Without waiting for the princess to respond, she chilled the water considerably, then dropped it on Azula.

The firebender yelled out, watching as Katara stalked off.

Zuko had extracted himself from the fountain and made his way over to his sister.

"What was that about?" He asked as he helped her up.

She stood and looked at the retreating form of her new friend. She sighed in frustration. "Something I need to fix." She said, walking away and drying herself with her bending as she went.

She didn't expect Zuko to grab her shoulder, stopping her.

"Let me."

"No offence Zuko, but she likes me a bit more then you right now." Azula stated bluntly, turning to walk after her again.

Zuko just brushed past her and followed after the waterbender quicker then his sister.

Azula shook her head.

"What happened? I thought Katara would be happy she won?" Sokka's voice carried over.

Azula glanced back at him. "I think I messed up." She said, walking over to him.

"Hey, don't worry about it. I've been on the receiving end of her anger multiple times, she never stays mad for long."

"Yes, well, she's probably never felt that you betrayed her trust." Azula admitted, looking down at her feet.

"Actually…I have before." When Azula looked at him, he continued, "Back when we were kids, we got in and out of trouble a lot. For stupid kid stuff, mostly. One day though, she broke a family heirloom." He smiled, the memory being made funny with time, "She begged me not to tell, I promised I wouldn't. But when our parents intterogated us about it, I cracked. She wouldn't talk to me for days." He laughed a little, but sobered up when he saw Azula still looking solem.

He rested a hand on her shoulder-ignoring the way she stiffened a little- and said, "Look, the point is, she might seem mad now, but trust me when I say she won't stay mad forever, it's not in her nature. Aang would eat meat sonner then she would learn how to hold a grudge."

Azula smirked at that. "Thank you, Sokka. Although, I should go explain myself." She said, looking back towards the direction Katara had stormed off in.

Sokka nodded. "When you find her- send her to our dad, I wanna see what he thought. Then maybe we can all go for round two!" Sokka ran off, pumping a fist in the air.

Azula caught herself smiling after him. She shook her head then turned to go after his sister. Hopefully she would hear her out.

Zuko ran after Katara. Having lost her visually, he just followed the sound of angry splashing coming from a nearby inner chamber.

Peeking in, he watched as Katara aggressively bent some water around, forming it into ice, forcefully smashing it on the ground, watching it scatter in millions of pieces, calling it back as melted water and repeating the process a few times.

Not really knowing what to do, he awkwardly cleared his throat.

Katara whipped around, water at the ready.

She had no clue why she hesitated. He deserved to be water whipped back to the Fire Nation.

He disregarded the threatning amount of water she had ready to cast in his direction, and said, "Um…are you ok?"

She scowled deeply, but let the water fall to the ground. "Why do you care?"

"It's just… You and my sister seemed to be getting along…"

"Oh, what? Are you jealous? Upset I trust her more then you?"

"What?" Zuko shook his head. "No. I just don't understand why you blew up at her like that."

Katara glared at him, "Because, I made the same mistake with her as I did with you. I let you in and I got hurt because of it!" She huffed, turning away from him. "I should have known you two are just the same. Blood is thicker then water I guess." She spat, refusing to look back at him.

Zuko glanced away from her, not wanting to know what she meant when she said 'I let you in." So he instead, addressed the other issue,"Look, I don't know what she did, but I can tell you we aren't the same."

"Oh really! So you both don't come from Fire Nation royalty? You both haven't hunted the Avatar? You both haven't taken advantage of me trusting you?"

She was beyond angry. Zuko knew that the only way to get through to her would be to work through her thinking with her. Reasoning with her.

"Mind if I ask what she did that was so bad?" He asked carefully, not wanting to incur anymore of her wrath.

She whipped around to face him. "It doesn't matter."

Of course she would be stubborn about it.

"It does to me." That must have caught her off guard, at least a little, because she stilled for a moment. She shook her head. "I told her something, something I didn't want her sharing with you, and it turns out she did anyway. _That's_ what Azula did wrong."

Zuko thought back. The only time he and Azula had spoken between breakfast and the spar match was when she caught him watching Katara. She hadn't told him anything.

But the plan she came up with. Katara only seemed mad at Azula after their plan was enacted. Maybe it had something to do with that?

They way things played out had seemed horribly similar to what happened between the three of them in Ba Sing Se. But all Azula had said was to choose Katara.

"She didn't tell me anything. We only had a chance to talk right before we caught you." Zuko explained, hoping to find some way through her never-ending anger.

Katara seemed to consider things for a moment before asking, in a dangerously quiet voice, "What did she say?"

Zuko shrugged, all to happy to share this information with Katara of it would help her to see Azula had done nothing wrong. Well, not as far as he was concerned anyway, "All she said was that she would make it to where you and I cornered her, so that we could team up aginast her."

Katara was quiet. Then, "That's _all_ she said." She wouldn't put it past Zuko to lie, but something about his tone, his willingness to tell her this, told her he was being honest.

"Yes."

Katara took a breath. Maybe she had overreacted after all. Azula had told him nothing about why Katara still didn't trust him. She had just told him to play along with a plan. A plan that seemed to scream at her that Zuko had changed. Unless-

"I should go check on the others." He had decided not to ask what it was she had told Azula not to tell him. Maybe she would come forward about that in her own time. He wasn't about to push it.

"Zuko."

He turned back at the sound of his name. She wasn't looking at him. She seemed to struggle with herself for a moment before speaking.

"If Azula hadn't said anything…Would your choice have been the same?"

He looked at her, hearing the underlaying question, _would you still have chosen me?_

He considered things for a minute. Would he have chosen differently? Practicaly betrayed her again?

Would he make the right choice for himself this time? Choosing good, even if it didn't make sense to him? The answer was as clear to him now as it was back in Ba Sing Se, the one he should have listened to.

He looked into her bright blue eyes, she looked right back.

"Yes."

With that he left, leaving a partialy dumbfounded Katara in his wake.

She didn't have much time to consider what he answered, because at that moment Azula walked in.

"Before you say anything-"

They both started at the same time. Katara smiled softly, "Go ahead."

"The lack of ice spears pointed at my chest tells me he explained things to you." Azula asked, jerking her thumb in Zuko's direction.

Katara nodded. "Sorry for jumping to conclusions. I'm just… having some trouble with trust these days I guess."

"I don't think you are," Azula said, moving into the room. She leaned aginast the doorframe, "You were in your right mind to be angry, it's natural. You obviously recognized how I had things playing out. The only logical answer being that I told Zuko what you asked me not to in order to get him to play along."

Katara shook her head, "You keep talking about logic. Like I said, there's more to it then that. You work with your mind a lot, you know the in's and out's of every person you come up against. With me it's more emotional. I'm not saying one is better then the other, I'm just saying… Maybe I _need_ to look at the logical side of things more." Katara admitted, glancing at the girl before her.

"Well, perhaps I should start looking at the more emotional side of things." Azula agreed, a certain member of the Water Tribe coming to mind.

Which reminds her, "Sokka said to meet up with your father, he wanted to see what everyone thought of the sparring match.

Katara smirked as she moved to follow Azula out of the room.

"Sokka, huh?" She snickered as Azula elbowed her.

"Stop it!"

Both girls left the room laughing. Ready to go meet up with everyone else.

"I think that this first round went well." Hakoda said, looking over the group of roughed up teens.

" _First_ round?" Aang asked, rubbing the sore spot on the back of his head.

He was glad Toph had come back to find him-even after he knocked her out of the game- she had found him half-awake where Sokka had left him. They both waited it out until Sokka found them after the match.

Hakoda smiled, "Aw 'cmon now, you didn't think that was it did you? We all have a lot to do to get ready for the comet."

"Maybe we can just take a short break?"

Toph snorted at Aang's lack of enthusiasim. "A break? You spent this round taking a nap Twinkle Toes!"

"What?" Katara asked, looking between the two youngest in the group.

"I did not! Sokka knocked me unconscious with his boomerang!" The Avatar shouted indigantly.

"No matter. Now, Katara, you won this last round, so you get to choose the theme of the next round." Hakoda said, turning to his daughter.

She smiled mischiviously. "Hide and Seek?"

"How is that a theme?" Her brother asked.

"You have the element of surprise on you, and this way, if your caught, you get to team up with the seeker to find everyone else. Last one hiding wins." Katara explained, already moving to a nearby fountain.

"Sounds like a plan. Who's first?" Azula asked.

"OOH! ME!" Aang yelled, covering his eyes and beginning to count.

After all the matches, and everyone tiring out, the teens made their way to their bed rolls with much to contemplate about the day.

One thing they all knew for sure, they would definetly be sore tomorrow morning.

 **A/N: Yep, there it is, please tell me what you think! I love hearing from you guys- I literally fan girl over the comments that's how happy I get! Let me know if in the future you guys want more filler/fluff chapters like this to moderate the pace a bit? I personally love them-but that's just me, give me a heads up! I'll catch you on the next one!**

 **Writer out ~0-0~**


	16. Mai-day

**A/N: And here it is! Sorry for posting a day late- as we all know our dear system decided to crash for a while. Sucked. But now, I give you the newest chapter of this fic! This is the last chapter that I have that was actually written out before I started posting, so now all new chapters are going to be written in real time-scary- so if I'm a little slower with the updates, you know why! I will do my best to keep posting every other day, but writing and editing takes time! So yeah. But enough of that, please enjoy this next chapter-and as always thank you for all the reveiws! You guys are the best! Read on!**

 **DICLSAIMER: NOT MINE!**

Chapter 16: Mai-day

Aang woke up, ready to start another day of bending practice. Only slightly fetuiged from the day before.

Too bad a bomb landed in front of him.

Before it could really explode, the young airbender used his skills to knock the fire nation bomb back in the direction from which it came.

When the smoke cleared, he was shocked to see three Fire Nation balloons hovering right in front of him.

Another less acuratley placed bomb shook the foundation of the temple.

"Not again!" Sokka groaned as he sat up, wepons at the ready.

Azula woke up, peering at he aircrafts.

Mai.

She growled as she sprang up, rushing up to the young Avatar.

"Get everyone out of here, Zuko and I can handle this." she said coldly, glaring at the moroon-clad figure with gleaming hair that stood atop the observation deck of the head Balloon.

Aang looked uncertian, but nodded, moving towards his friends.

Zuko passed him, looking back.

The young Prince's eyes roamed over his new _friends_ -his new _family_ \- with worry.

His eyes lingered on Katara a moment longer then the others, and at the exact right moment too.

Hearing the ceiling crak, the waterbender looked up just as a pile of rocks came tumbling down.

But before they could reach her, strong arms were wrapped around her as someone tackled her to the ground.

As soon as they stopped moving, Katara saw who had saved her.

Zuko.

She desperatly tried to ignore how her heart rate picked up.

"What are you doing?!" She yelled over the sound of crumbling rock.

"Keeping rocks from crushing you." He replied harshly- instantly regretting his tone- as he loosened his grip on her.

"Well I'm not crushed- you can get off me now!" She said as she hefted herself up from his arms.

 _His arms…_ Katara shook her head as she stalked away. No time to think of _that_ now.

"…I'll take that as a 'thank you'" Zuko said, pulling himself up as well.

Azula- whom had seen the whole exchange- would have smirked if not for the dire circumstances.

"What is _She_ doing here!?" Zuko asked aloud as he stepped up next to his sister.

"Looks like she wasn't too pleased with you locking her up, Zuzu." Azula muttered, glowering at the balloon that was moving closer still.

Zuko growled and charged into the fray.

"Wait! What are you doing?" Azula yelled, running after her brother. He never thought these things through!

"Getting rid of the Big Blah!" He yelled back, refferancing the name he had given Mai on Ember Island.

Said "Blah" heard her ex-boyfriend and decided she did not like the sound of that.

Another bomb was hurled in the direction of the fire nation siblings.

Zuko went to deflect the blow, but it never came.

Azula and Aang had jumped in front of him, deflecting the attack together.

 _Well then…_ Zuko thought to himself as he watched the once-enimies work together to defeat the crazed knife-thrower.

Aang turned to his new friends.

"We can't get everyone out togehter. Appa won't go through that tunnel!" He pointed to a large hole in the wall that had somehow appered in the last few minutes, "We'll get as many as we can through the tunnle, the rest of us will fly out of here on Appa." Aang explained, watching as Mai personally loaded another bomb.

"We have to take care of Mai first!" Azula shouted, running at the Balloon.

Zuko followed, briefly gripping Aang's shoulder on the way.

The airbender watched as the two siblings dissapered into the dust worked up by all the bombs before turning and sprinting back to the rest of his family.

The bomb Mai had previously been loading ripped loose and smashed into the overhang of the temple celing, causing a large pillar to topple over.

Zuko and Azula used the falling pillar as a runway of sorts, Luanching themselves off of it and onto the balloon.

"Give it up, Mai. You're no match for us." Azula said as she landed. She lifted her arms, preparing to strike.

"If I were unable to match you, why did you choose me to help hunt down the Avatar?"

Mai's bored tone was replaced with a snide, throaty one. Almost like she had a bad attitude with a sore throat.

Not far from the truth actually.

"Please, if we were a match, I _never_ would have chosen you."

"Of course not, all you ever think about is climbing to the top. You made sure you were percived as better then Ty-Lee and I. Title is everything to you." Mai said as she produced a gleaming dagger from somewhere up her sleeve.

"Not anymore." The princess replied earnestly as she fell into a stance, her brother following suit.

They both took a moment to ponder how odd it felt to be battling side by side again, only this time for the greater good.

Mai- however- wasted no time in attacking.

She yelled as she thrust the knife in Zuko's direction, missing his arm by mere inches.

Yep. She was loosing it, she _never_ misses.

Azula cut in, kicking the knife out of the goth girls hand, sending it over the railing and into the chasm below them.

Zuko took this oprotunity to get behind Mai, intending to shove her over to the railing.

But she had other plans.

Both the Prince and Princess were surprised as Mai hopped onto the railing and trapeezed her way to the very top of the balloon.

"Looks like Ty-Lee gave her some lessons." Azula grumbled as she used her firebending as a jet- luanching herself up to where her once-friend stood.

Zuko shook his head, watching as the two girls comenced in what could only be called a cat-fight, and clambered his way up the side of the large blimp.

Only to find the girls were missing.

"What…" Zuko muttered, looking around.

He then heard a yell and the unmistakeable sound of a fire blast coming from below.

Peering over the edge, he cuaght sight of the two girls in a free-fall.

Zuko nearly facepalmed.

There was only one thing to do, he figured, as he watched Azula blast her way over to a rock wall, digging her crown-because she still had that for some reason- into a crevice, allowing her to hang stationary against the stone. She looked up to her brother with a near panicked expression on her face.

Mai was still falling.

He jumped over the edge.

Free-falling was a funny feeling, like your insides were floating. But Zuko had little time to think this over as he rapidly approached Mai.

He was grateful yet slightly concerned to find she had fallen unconscious.

Grabbing her, he imitated Azula and used his bending to propel himself and the dead weight in his arms upwards, back towards the balloon.

He got her on deck, laying her down haphazardly as he glanced back over his shoulder. Making sure no guards were on their way up, he looked out over the seemingly endless space below.

The gang had gotten out and were plucking Azula from the mountianside.

Knowing that Appa would not be able to get close to the balloon without getting bombed, he jumped again over the side when he saw them headed his way.

To his compleate surprise and delight-for some _totally unexplainable_ reason- Katara was the one to reach out, grabbing onto his forearms and pulling him into the saddle.

The last thing the group of teens saw was the large Fire Nation balloons retreating into the fog, taking Mai with them.

Azula had never gone camping.

Granted, she had been out in the beauty of nature many times before, travling in order to capture the Avatar had called for that.

But never had she slept _outside_ on a _sleeping roll_ before.

There was that one night outside the air temple before her and Zuko had been accepted into the group, but that hardly counted as camping in her opinon.

All in all, sleeping under the bright stars surrounded by people who had accepted her into their group was an interesting experience.

"Wow, camping. It really feels like old times again, doesn't it?" Aang asked as they were all seated around the fire.

"If you really want it to feel like old times, I could uh… chase you around a bit and try to capture you?" Zuko's attempt at humor was greeted with good-natured laughing from everyone in the group.

Minus Katara.

" ."

Azula-who was seated to the right of the girl- looked at her with a hitched up eyebrow, but the waterbender remained silent, glaring into the fire that burned between her and Zuko.

Sokka raised his cup, jostling Azula in the slightest. She, along with the others turned to him as he said, "To Zuko…and Azula. Who thought that after all the times they tried to snuff us out, today- they would be our heros?"

The group-again, minus Katara- Answered with a "Here, Here!"

Azula smiled but-uncharacteristicly- brushed off the praise, "I really didn't do much. It was more Zuko."

Her brother smiled, looking around their small group, "Thank you, I'm touched. I don't deserve this…" He acknowledged quietly, staring down into his cup.

"Yeah. No kidding." With that, Katara stood, leaving Azula's side and stomping off.

The firebender was all too aware of the lack of warmth that accompanied the departure of her friend. Her attention, though, was drawn to the boy who had captured her interest as of late when he said, "What's up with her?"

Zuko also rose, watching in the direction that Katara had left, "I wish I knew."

As he walked away, Sokka reiterated, "What's up with him?"

Azula sighed and twisted around to watch the form of her retrating brother. If he wasn't careful, she was sure he was going to get himself slapped tonight.

Zuko approached Katara, watching intently as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye, before glaring and turning away.

He took a breath, "This isn't fair! Everyone seems to trust me now. What is it with you?" He didn't want to seem harsh, but he was running out of options here. He needed to get through to her, wanted to know why she hated him so much.

"Oh, everyone trust's you now? I was the first person to trust you, remember? Back in Ba Sing Se. Then you went and turned your back on us. All of us!" _On me._

It was a stupid decision-he knew it was. It had gotten his uncle imprisoned, and allowed room for the take over of Ba Sing Se.

And now it was costing him the friendship he wanted. "What can I do to make it up to you?" He knew it was a long shot- he was certain she would demand the world on a silver platter if he could deliver-but he had to try, he was done with her thinking he was aginst her all the time.

"Oh, I don't know! Why don't you reconquer Ba Sing Se in the name of the Earth King?" Huh, so she _was_ asking for the world, technicaly. "Or I know! You could bring my mother back!" She yelled at him, directly in his face.

Ok, he couldn't do that, he was only a man-currently with limited resources. Bringing someone back from the dead was a bit of a stretch, she knew this.

But it did give him an idea.

He couldn't bring her mother back, but he could give her the next best thing.

He contemplated this as she stalked off. He resisted the urge to call out to her, tell her what he had in mind. If he was going to do this right, he needed a plan.

He waited until he was sure she was settled in her tent. He quietly made his way over to Sokka's, stopping only briefly when her heard multiple voices inside.

"…meaning to tell you something." That was Azula's voice, he was sure. What was she doing in Sokka's tent?

Zuko leaned in closer, trying to hear better.

"What is it? If it's about Aang, I think Katara would be the better person to talk to- she's the one actually training him."

Zuko could practicaly see Azula shake her head. "No…It has to do with you… well, us actually."

"Us? What are you talking about?"

"Sokka, I…" Azula trailed, unsure.

Zuko took this as an opportunity. He entered the tent without warning, causing Sokka to look up. He and Azula were sitting knee to knee, facing one another with their legs crossed. Azula glanced over her shoulder and scowled. A look that said she obviously didn't want to be interrupted just then.

Zuko looked from his sister to the boy she was sitting extremely close to. Putting his big-brother-instincts on the back coal for a moment, he spoke to Sokka, "I need to talk to you."

"Can it wait?" Azula asked, a harsh edge in her tone.

He simply scowled in return. "No. It can't."

Azula held her brother's gaze for a second more then glanced back at Sokka. Knowing she wasn't going to win this one, she huffed and stood.

"I'll see you in the morning." She said to Sokka.

Zuko smiled cheekily at her as she brushed past him. In response, she just shoved him towards the conversation he just stole from her.

As Azula walked out, she heard Sokka ask, "So, what can I help you with?"

It took next to no time for her brother to blurt, "Your sister. She hates me! And I don't know why, but I do care what she thinks of me…"

Azula's eyes widened. While she had been on her way to disclosing her own feelings to Sokka, she had not been expecting her brother to do the same. (Allbeit, Zuko wasn't trying to confess to Sokka his feelings about Sokka, but _Azula_ _was_ )

The young firebender considered staying and listening for a moment. It wouldn't hurt, and she was trying to set up the steamiest pairing in their group herself. But she let it be. She had her own feelings to sort out.

She bit her lip, walking to the edge of camp. She sat herself down on the grass, trying to arrange her thoughts.

She had never been this attracted to someone before. When she was groing up, world domination was the only thing she had on her mind, and if she happened to pick up a submissive fellow along the way, so be it.

But that was then. Please-that was one month ago. But now was different. She no longer dreamed of hearing "Fire Lord Azula" While she sat upon a throne shrouded in blue flames. Nor did she any longer dream of watching her nation rise to power as the rest of the world burned that same brilliant blue.

Now she only wanted one thing.

And that was Sokka.

She didn't know when it started, or why. But she was falling for him. Perhaps it had started at the invasion. When she had cornered him and his friends, taunted him about his girlfriend.

Why was it when she thought of the word girlfriend in correlation to him, it was her name she wished was accompanied with it?

Wow. From "Fire Lord Azula" To, "Sokka's girlfriend, Azula".

The Princess groaned and threw herself backwards, landing with a thud on the grass. From this angle, she could clearly see the stars.

Azula had never been camping.

But she was glad her first experience had included him.

 **A/N: There it is! Please let me know what you think-I'll have the next chapter up soon!**

 **Writer out! ~0-0~**


	17. Forgiving (And Trying To Forget)

**A/N: Wow, this is late! My bad, but like I said, I need to start writing each chapter now that I have finnished posting all the chapters that were pre-written, so sorry for the late updat, but I wanna give you guys my best writting and that can onlt come with time! Thank you so much for all the reviews! You guys are so nice!SO you guys have been waiting long enough, I give to you chapter 17!**

 **DISCLAIMER: NONE OF IT IS MINE!**

Chapter 17: Forgiving (And Trying to forget)

After leaving Sokka's tent, Zuko settled himself on a rock, facing the entrance of Katara's.

He would wait all night if he had too. It would give him time to contemplate how he would go about this.

He needed to be ready for her to turn him down-though he was sure she wouldn't after she heard what he had in mind. But if anything screamed "I'm here for you, I want to give you this chance!" It was sitting outside her tent until she decided to come out.

As he thought things over, he realized he would do many things if he had to in order to get her to accept him.

Like waitng outside all night.

Oh, was that the sun?

Well- looks like he had to wait outside all night.

It did little to damper his determination, though. In fact, it only increased ten-fold when he saw her swing open the makeshift door he was settled in front of.

He glanced up as she walked out. She looked content for a brief moment, that was, until she saw his face. Her's imediently formed into a deep scowl.

"…You look terrible."

Why thanks!

"I waited out here all night." Was his only response.

She just turned her back to him, picking up a hairbrush and began running it through her locks as she moodily asked, "What do you want?"

Not wanting to waste any of the precious time they had, he answered bluntly, "I know who killed your mother," He watched as she stiffened, the brush stilling mid-stroke,"And I'm going to help you find him."

She swiftly turned to face him, a look of pure shock and disbelief painted across her features. It morphed into a determined glare, her top lip hiking up in a snarl.

"Who is he?" She asked in a voice he hadn't heard her use before.

Not wanting to anger her further, he answered quickly, "The leader of a Fire Navy band, the Southern Raiders. If we can find one of their ships, we can find him."

She looked to the ground, contemplating. He could tell the anger was starting to overwhelm her, he could see it in how her face shifted ever so slightly with each passing moment. Her thinking was becoming clouded, covering any and all thoughts except one.

Murder the murderer.

She looked back to him sharply. Her eyes were full of a steely determination. Electric blue amplified.

"Get what you need. We leave in an hour."

Zuko grabed a small sack and filled it with essentials; clothes that made it hard for you to be spotted, rope. There wasn't much, but there was enough.

He was going over anything else they would need in his mind when a framiliar voice drew him from his thoughts.

"Going somewhere?" Azula asked, sitting down beside her brother on the grass.

"Yes." Was all he replied.

Azula rolled her eyes. "There was a question beneath that- where to?"

Zuko twisted the sack shut and stood. "To find the man that killed Sokka And Katara's mother."

Azula's eyes widened before she glanced over to Katara's tent.

"Doing something you hope will get you in her good graces?" She asked, still looking at the Blue expanse of fabric standing in the middle of camp.

Zuko dropped the sack at his feet.

"That, and giving her what she needs. This is her chance at closure. Who am I to keep it from her?"

Azula looked back to her brother, he was glancing around the camp. She stood alongside him.

"It's a good idea. This will be good for the both of you."

Zuko shook his head, "I don't care about me. I'm doing this for _her_."

Azula was shocked at his selflessness for a moment, before she remembered who he was. Despite not always showing it, he cared for others. Truly. And it was painfully clear that he cared for Katara as well. Azula smiled. Wether or not Katara saw it, Zuko was a good person. Maybe this trip would show her that.

If she could overcome the pain that welled inside of her.

"This will be good for her then. I'll go say goodbye." Azula said hastily as she made her way towards her friend's tent.

"You in there?" Azula asked aloud, standing outside of Katara's door.

"Azula? You can come in." Katara's quiet voice came through the fabric.

She swung the door open, finding a brooding and glaring Katara going through her minimal belongings.

"So…" Azula started, trying to get the waterbender to look at her. When she didn't, Azula just carried on. "Going to face the man that killed your mother. How are you feeling?" She asked sincerely.

Katara cast her a-unbelieving-glare,"Are you really asking me that question?" She asked coldly before turning back to her shuffled items.

Azula sighed and daintily placed herself on the other girl's bed roll. "Well, it was more obligatory then anything."

Katara gave a humorless laugh, "And here I thought it was your brother's job to have awkward conversations."

"Speaking from experience?"

Another-more playful, but still ladden with cold hard determination- glare was thrown at her.

"But in all seriousness, are you sure you want to do this?" Azula asked thoughtfully, glancing around at her surroundings.

Katara shook her head. "All I know is that I need to find this man. He needs to pay-I need to make him pay."

If Azula said that seeing the usually peaceful waterbender proclaiming that she was seriously considering killing a man un-fazing, she would be lying.

Being the Princess of possibly the most violent nation, she had seen some _very_ terrifying mood swings amongst the people she was around.

But this was entirely different.

This girl was getting ready to embrace a darker side of herself without considering what could happen to her because of it.

"You do realize Aang most likely won't go along with this?" If the young Avatar's calm and loving nature was any indication, he would hate the idea of one of his closest friend's giving into violence of any kind.

Katara shook her head again,"I don't care what he thinks. If he can't see that this is important to me, then maybe he doesn't care about me at all." She answered bitterly.

Azula nodded, "But… Zuko does?"

That gave Katara pause, a shocked look crossed over her face. Then she growled, "Don't bring him into this! He's probably just doing this to…to… I don't even know anymore!" Katara couldn't think straight. She was so angry, at everything. It was making her vision swim and her head ache with a vengeance. She was not a naturally angry person, so holding onto something this big… she took a calming breath.

"I can't focus on anyone else right now. All I know is that I need to do this. I need to avenge my mother."

Azula stood. "I respect that. Just…when you get there? Do what you think is right. Not what anyone else thinks is right."

Katara hesitated for a moment, before saying, "Thank you, Azula."

The firebender nodded then made her way out of the tent. No matter what happened, Katara would come back a changed woman. This was not a journey one takes just to come back the same.

"I need to borrow Appa."

Aang glanced over his shoulder to see a (more so then usual for the mornings) moody Katara approaching him, flanked by Zuko.

He chuckled sarcastically, hopping his jealousy didn't show as he said, "Oh. Is it your turn to take a little field trip with Zuko?"

"Yes."

He turned back at her curt answer, shock eveident on his features. He may not like the idea of Katara with other guys, but he did want his two teachers to get along. But this was strange, sudden too. What had changed?

"Oh…Where are you guys going?"

Katara answered him in the same hard voice she had been using this entire conversation, "To bring justice to the man that took my mother away from me."

At this, Sokka-whom had been sitting a little ways away up against a boulder- looked up. Justice for his mother's killer? Was this why Zuko had asked about her last night?

"Sokka told me the story. I know who did it, and I know where to find him."

Aang looked between his two teachers. "Um…And what exactly do you think this will accomplish?"

Katara shook her head, a bitter smile coming to greet her lips. She turned away as she said, I knew you wouldn't understand."

"Wait! I do understand! You're feeling unbelievable pain and rage! How do you think I felt when the sand benders took Appa?"

Zuko raised his eyebrow. Yes, because a stolen Air Bison is the same as a dead mother.

"How do you think I fet about the Fire Nation when I found out they took my people away from me?"

Ok, getting closer buddy.

But this was about Katara, and Zuko was going to make sure it stayed that way.

"She needs this, Aang. This is about getting closure, and justice."

"I don't think so. I think it's about getting revenge."

"Fine!" Katara said hotly, her back still turned on Aang, "Maybe it is. Maybe that's what I need," She said the last words quietly, darkly, "Maybe it's what he deserves."

Aang couldn't believe it. The bright young woman with a natural talent for bending now stood before him as someone clouded by anger, hurt. Someone willing to go to any lengths to do what she thought was just. It sounded like…

"Katara, you sound like Jet." Aang said softly.

At this, the young master turned. "It's not the same! Jet attacked the innocent. This man- He's a monster!"

Sokka walked up to the group, "Katara, she was my mother too. But, I think Aang might be right."

Katara held a blank face, but stated with fire in her tone, "Then maybe you didn't love her like I did!"

This shocked everone, even Zuko.

Sokka's eyes widened. "Katara…"

She just turned away.

Aang closed his eyes as he recalled everything he had been taught in his short life, "The monks used to say that revenge is like a two-headed rat-viper. While you watch your enemy go down, you're being poisoned yourself."

Zuko had had enough. "That's cute, but this isn't Air temple pre-school. It's the real world."

Katara spoke up once more, "Now that I know he's out there, now that I know we can find him, I feel like I don't have a choice."

"Katara," Aang stepped up, "you do have a choice, forgiveness."

"That's the same as doing nothing!" Zuko said hotly, for a moment remembering his time spent at sea. A life that hardens you. Forgivness meant acceptance. In a life like that, you can't just accept everything that's thrown at you. Sometimes, you had to fight back.

"No, it's not," Aang insisted, "It's easy to do nothing. It's hard to forgive."

"It's not just hard. It's impossible." With that, Katara turned and stomped off, leaving a group of stunned boy's in her wake.

Katara sat in her tent, sulking. Her immedient anger had worn off, though the determination still ran rampant through her.

She was so consumed with her thoughts, that she didn't realize Zuko had come in.

"I have a new plan."

Katara jumped at his rasoy voice. "Zuko! Can't you knock!"

"I did." He tossed something at her, hitting her in the face as her reflexes were a bit slow. "Put this on, if what I have in mind is going to work, we need to blend into our surroundings."

Katara held up the piece of fabric in her hands, holding it out.

A black tunic with a long neck that could double as a mask; and some black, fingerless gloves greeted her.

She looked from the clothes, back to him, then back again. _He wants me to wear_ his _clothes?_ She shook the thought aside. "What's your plan?"

Without being invited, he walked in and sat down next to her on her bed roll, much as Azula had done.

She tried not to let their proximity remind her of what happened in the Air temple thanks to Toph just two days ago.

"We just take Appa at night. While everyone else is asleep. This will also give us the advantage when we get to one of the naval operation bases. They won't know what hit them."

Katara nodded. It sounded like a good enough plan. She did feel bad about going behind Aang's back, but she needed this! And she was going to do it weather or not he like it.

Zuko stood, turning to leave.

"Zuko." Katara stopped him, mush as she had when he sought her out after the spar day, saying nothing but his name to get his attention. He looked back to her. "Thank you… for doing this."

She may have not sounded it, but she was sincere. Despite still not trusting him, she understood that he was going out of his way to do this for her. The thought was oddly toching.

The Prince just nodded and made his departure.

The day passed and night fell, leaving Katara as much time as she needed to prepare herself for what was to come.

And who it would be coming with…

"Are you ready?" Zuko asked quietly through the tent's canvas. Katara could easily make out his shillouette aginst the bright light of the moon.

She finished adjusting the black clothes-which were surprisingly snug- and made her way out. Zuko eyed her momentarily, and she felt small all of a sudden. But the moment passed and he was nodding and walking away.

Katara quickened her pace, easily matching stride with the taller bender.

They made their way to Appa silently, their respective roles as The Painted Lady and The Blue Spirit giving them all the experience needed when it came to sneaking around.

Appa was dozing in a tuft of grass near camp. He paid little mind as the framiliar sents of salty water mixed with water lilies and smoke mixed with a hint of some spice used in baked goods usually came into contact with his nose. He knew his friend's friends well at this point and gladly welcomed them for a ride.

Well, an attempt to ride, anyway.

"So you were just gonna take Appa anyway?" Aang demanded huffily as he and Sokka jumped over the boulder they had been hiding behind.

"Yes. And you're not stopping us." Katara answered, her voice still so cold.

"That's ok, because I forgive you." Aang said softly, casting his eyes downward before his head shot back up, a large, hopeful grin on his face, "That give you any ideas?"

"I'm not going to let you stop me Aang." Katara answered, turning to glance at him as Zuko rummaged through their supplies.

"I wasn't going too," The young Avatar answered softly, "This is a journey you need to take. You need to face this man," Katara nodded and turned away. She grabbed onto Appa's horn and hoisted herself up onto his head. Aang wasn't finished. "But when you do, please don't choose revenge. Let your anger out, and then let it go. Forgive him."

Zuko had stood and now faced Aang with a disbelieving look. Didn't this kid understand what it was like to loose someone close to you? In a way he did, but then again-he was always the most peaceful one out of this group of teenagers. He wouldn't understand the need for revenge like this.

But Zuko didn't want Katara to have to choose between what she wanted and what Aang wanted. She needed to choose herself tonight.

"Ok, we'll be sure to do that, guru goody-goody!" he said sarcastically before turning to join Katara.

"Thanks for understanding Aang. Yip yip!"

And with that, Zuko and Katara where off, one of them to exact…revenge on her mothers killer, perhaps. And one of them to be there for her when she needed him on this emotional journey.

It was going to be a long ride.

 **A/N: You like? Let me know! I'm excited for the next few chapters and can't wait to share them with you guys! Ubtil then, let me know your thoughts, and I'll catch you on the next one!**

 **Writer out! ~0-0~**


	18. Becoming Who You Are

**A/N: HELLO! I am sorry that this is late, I have been writing and revising and editing it for the past couple days and finaly got it done, YAY! So here you guys go, the next instalment of this fic! It might seem like kind of a filler chapter, but I tried to move the plot along with it, which I hope I did-Let me know!**

 **DISCLAIMER: NOT MINE I PROMISE**

Chapter 18: Becoming Who You Are

The moon was full and bright as the teens flew quickly towards their destination.

"We need to find a Fire Navy communications tower, all the Navy's movments are corrdinated by messanger hawk, and every tower has to be up-to-date on where everyone is deployed." Zuko explained as a tower came to view in the distance.

"So once we find one," Katara stated, pointing to the speck on the dark horizon, "we bust in and get the information we need."

Zuko almost chuckled, she was so eager to do this, but it could cost them if she got to bend-happy.

He shook his head before he realized that she couldn't see him, "Not exactly, we need to be stealthy and make sure no one spots us," Thank goodness he had thought of the black clothes, "Otherwise, they'll warn the Southern Raiders, long before we get there."

Once they got close enough to the tower, Zuko and Katara hopped off Appa. The waterbender commanded the Bison to stay hidden, as best she could anyway. After that, they were running to the water's edge, they had landed on a small rock formation a few yards from the small island the tower was on. Zuko was contemplating how to get across when Katara jumped, twirled around herself, and landed with the grace only a waterbender has on a thick block of ice.

Zuko followed quickly, landing beside her in a steady position. She bent them on a small wave up to the land and they dashed off, into one of the many enterances of the metal building.

Getting in was surprisingly easy. Zuko peered around a corner, watching as two men walked out of an illuminated room. He felt Katara come to a stop beside him as they watched the men leave. Without saying anything, they both launched into a run as soon as the men were out of sight, bolting towards the door with light footsteps.

They got inside to find a boiler room of sorts, one that also had many large, dark tunnles in the walls. Air shafts.

Zuko motioned to the girl behind him to follow. Together, they climed through the large tunnel, Zuko helping Katara up off the ground and into the dark before them.

They walked for a little ways before coming to a grate in the side of the tunnel, light streamed in through the small metal opening, casting criss-crossed shadows on the bender's faces.

Inside was a woman writing on a piece of parchment. Zuko glanced around, noticing all the file cabnites that stood around the room. He leaned in close to Katara, whispering, "This is the place."

Katara shivered slightly and hoped he didn't feel it. Why she had _that_ reaction, she had no clue. To brush it off, she nodded and waited for an opportunity to get in.

She watched the woman intently, noticing that she was using a brush and some ink that was held in a small container. It would be easy to knock over if the woman was clumsy with her brush. Katara lifted her hand, feeling the liquid in the ink jump at her call. She waited, watching as the woman dipped her brush back into the container. As soon as the woman pulled back, Katara pulled her hand, and therefore the ink, back with it.

The woman stilled for a moment, looking down at her stained hand and paper. She shook her head and stood, walking away to go clean off.

Zuko easily tugged the flimsy grate off the wall and dropped through the hole. He glanced back as Katara followed, landing with a thud beside him.

He wasted no time in rushing over to one of the file cabniets.

"Southern Raiders, Southern Raiders," He muttered to himself as he thumbed through the different files. Finding the right one, he grabbed it and pulled it out, moving to a table behind them. He rolled th scroll out and skimmed over it briefly, "Bam! On patrol near Whale Tail island."

He looked to Katara, "Whale Tail island, here we come."

/\

Katara was at the reins, staring stonily ahead as small dots of land passed on ethier side of her line of vision. She tried to keep her mind on the task at hand- figuring out what to do once she faced this monster in person- but it was made difficult everytime the extra weight on Appa's saddle made a noise in the background.

Zuko moving. Zuko breathing. Zuko sighing and muttering to himself in his sleep. Didn't he know how to sleep quietly?!

Maybe she was just over-reacting, and maybe he wasn't making all that much noise, but Katara's nerves were fried. She could hardly take any sensation right now, but knew she had to put up with it.

More silence passed until Zuko woke up. He looked out over the sky. The sun was rising, its sweet light having roused him from sleep, the glow guiding Appa.

"You should get some rest, you'll need all your strength for when you face this man." Zuko stated, watching as Katara rolled her shoulders and flicked the reins in annoyance. But she stilled when she actually _listened_ to what he had to say.

"Oh don't you worry about my strength," She started, "I've got pleanty. I'm not that helpless little girl I was when they came."

Memories of that day, possibly the worst day of her entire life, flashed through her mind. She didn't realize that as she was recounting the events of it, that she was saying it out loud as well, until she heard Zuko moving closer to hear her better.

"I remember playing with Sokka. We were having a snowball fight. I was about to win, we were only kids." She let out a short, bitter huff that was supposed to resemble a laugh. Zuko found himself drawn in as she spoke, wanting to hear how she remembered that day. "I stopped when I saw it. The black snow. I had never seen anything like it before, but from stories I heard, I knew what it meant. A Fire Nation raid."

Zuko shut his eyes, this was going to be hard for her to tell him, and it was going to be just as hard for him to hear. His people, his Nation had caused this one family, this one girl _so much_ pain. It was tearing him apart.

"I had never been in one before. But my parents had told me what to do in case something like that ever happened. Run to them. So, I did. I ran. I ran all the way to my home. But when I got there, I froze."

 _Here it comes_ Zuko thought to himself. He knew that by now, Katara was aware she was actually telling him this-he had gotten the impression that she was talking mostly to herself at first- and he knew this was the part that was going to be hard for both of them to take.

"A man, a Fire Nation man, was standing there, over my mother. I understand now that she must have been scared. But she stayed strong, for me. I remember his eyes. The way the gleamed, a cold golden color. I would never forget it. I had nightmeres about those eyes for years after." Katara shuddered and Zuko resisted the urge he got to lay a hand on her shoulder. He did, however, move even closer to her, pressed against the front of the saddle.

"She looked right at me and told the man to let me go. That if he did, she would give him information he wanted. He looked over his shoulder at me. He told me to leave. I remember telling my mom I was scared. She just said to go find my dad, that...that she would take care of the situation."

"I ran as fast as I could. I found my dad like she said too. We ran back, but we were to late. When we got there, the man was gone…and so was she."

Katara drew her knees up to her chest, resting her chin on them. She took deep breaths as she remembered that her mother had died protecting _her._

"Your mother was a brave woman." Zuko said, watching as Katara brought a hand to her neck, where her pendant lay aginst her skin.

"I know." Katara answered. And she really did. Not everyone could do what her mother had, even if it was to protect their children.

/\

Night washed over the pair again. Zuko had convinced Katara to sleep, taking over the reins himself.

She was drowsy and didn't really register how she had nearly fallen into Zuko trying to get into the saddle. He caught her, and helped her lay down where he had been, the spot on the saddle still warm from his firebending.

She was asleep within seconds.

But now the moon was shining brightly, gently urging her to wake up.

Katara took a deep breath, actually glad for once that she had listend to Zuko. She felt stronger, weather that be from the moon or the sleeping, she wasn't sure, but both helped.

Zuko had remained alert for his shift, his eyes sweeping back and forth as he sought out the fleet that would hold the man they were looking for.

Finally, he spotted it.

"There!" He shouted to Katara over the wind. She sat up just in time to catch the telescope he had tossed her way "See that Sea Raven flag?"

Looking through the lens she saw it, that all too framiliar flag, rigged upto the mast of the lead ship.

The Southern Raiders.

"Let's do this."

Getting on board was easy, Katara just bent an air-bubble around Appa's head, allowing the beast to swim up to the deck.

They rose out of the water, out of sight. Voices washed over the railing, allowing Katara to easily find her target.

A long stream of water wrapped around one of the men on board, clutched him and hualed him over the side of the ship.

Before the others had a chance to run for help, they too were knocked into the water by a large wave that came out of no where.

One was left standing when the duo landed.

Katara hopped off Appa and charged at him. Tears were building up in her eyes as she flung another large wave at him, mercilessly throwing him over board with the rest of them.

Wasting no time, the duo ran directly into the ships inner rooms. As they ran down the hall, a guard was coming out of one of the side doors. Katara paid him no mind as she fled past. She heard as Zuko took on the guard. She turned and saw just as he rammed himself into the larger man, knocking him back into the room from which he had emerged. Zuko slammed the door shut and lodged a sword through the handles, trapping the man inside. He looked back to her.

She nodded and they moved on, coming to the last door at the end of the hall. The control room.

"This is it, Katara. Are you ready to face this man?" Zuko asked the waterbender beside him.

She gave no verbal answer. Rather, she gathered the water that was coating her arms, and with a loud shout, she flung it at the metal door before them.

An attack of fire balls met them, ones which Zuko easily deflected before sending out some of his own.

"Who are you?" The captian demanded.

Zuko glared, "You don't remember her? Well you will soon-trust me!"

The captian glared at the young benders, preparing to send out another attack-

But something stopped him. His arm-which had been rushing forward with a flame in his palm, was extinguished, and bent back in the opposite direction.

Soon, his body followed in this strange dance, twisting and contorting in un-natural ways.

"Wh-Ah! What's H-Happining to me?!" The captian yelled as his face was forced to the ground.

Zuko dropped his stance, confused. Until he turned to look at Katara.

She was glaring icily at the man, her hands held close to her in some bending form he had never seen before.

He glanced between her and the man who was writhing on the ground, then back to her. His eyes widened in shock as he made the connection.

This usually sweet, caring girl was _bending the water in this man to her will._ And she was doing it with no remorse from the looks of it. Zuko never even knew such a thing was possible, sure blood had water, the body had water… But _bending_ it?

But he had no time to wonder where she had learned this, or why she would use it on someone willingly, so he scowled and turned it to the man still on the ground.

"Think back," He said, looking down at the man, "Think back to your last raid on the Southern Water Tribe."

The man sounded strangled as he said, "I don't know what you're talking about, please! I don't know!"

Zuko flung himself to the ground as well, getting in the man's face, "Don't lie! You look her in the eye and you tell me you don't remember what you did!" He growled, pointing back to his travling companion. Zuko himself pushed down the thought in the back of his mind that was screaming the same thing back at him, not to lie, to remember what he had done to her.

He willed it to go away, and it did. For now.

Katara bent the man's body again, working him up into a sitting position. She looked at him hard, glaring into his eyes, his-

…his _brown_ eyes.

"…It's not him." She said quietly.

"What?!" Zuko demanded, whipping around to face her, "What do you mean it's not him? He's the leader of the Southern Raiders, he's gotta be the guy!" Zuko was aggravated, they didn't come all this way just to fail! And now they had the wrong man? How was this possible?!

Katara let him go, bowing her head and walking away solemly. Zuko watched her go, looking defeated. Well, if there was one thing Zuko never did, it was give up.

He turned on the man, grabbing him by his arm. He hefted him up and rammed him into the helm of the ship.

"If you're not the man we're looking for," Zuko started, twisting the man's arm further behind his back, "Who is?!"

"Ah! You must be looking for Yon Ra, But he retired 4 years ago!"

Katara-who had heard the entire thing-looked up as Zuko released the man, a new determination in her eyes.

/\

They were back on Appa once again, the rising sun greeting the both of them, as they were now both awake.

Zuko was sitting with his side pressed up against the saddle, as he had been when listening to Katara tell her story. She was at the reins, Staring out intently at the water ahead of them.

Before they had left the ship, Zuko had pressed the captian for more information about where Yon Ra was residing. They were now headed to a small island on the out-skirts of the Fire Nation.

Zuko looked around for anthing that sparked his interest-anythng to help him start a conversation with the-as he recently found out- _deadly_ waterbender in front of him.

Wait.

"I wanted to ask," Zuko started, shuffling even closer as he saw Katara tilt her head slightly to better hear him over the whistling wind. "What you did back there…controlling that man. What exactly _was_ that?"

He noticed Katara visibly stiffened and was about to start back-tracking before she relaxed again.

"It's a technique called Bloodbending. Only one other waterbender knows it."

"Bloodbending. As in… _bending blood?"_ Katara shot a poorly aimed glare over her shoulder, then turned back again as she explained.

"Look, I didn't like it either. Not at first, anyway."

"…where did you learn to do that?"

Katara rolled her eyes, reminding herself that he was probably just trying to find a way to fill the infuriating silence that had fallen upon them multiple times already. May as well explain if they were going to be up here a while. And it wasn't like there was any harm in telling him.

 _Trust._ There was that stupid voice in the back of her head again. The one that had helped her accept Azula.

The one that had gotten her to trust him in Ba Sing Se.

Katara shook her head. Zuko took that as a sign that she wasn't going to tell him, so he was surprised when she started speaking.

"We were hiding out in the Fire Nation. After you and Azula travled back. In one of the towns, we met an old woman who claimed she was a war prisoner who had escaped. She was living in the Fire Nation under cover ever since. I was so glad to meet another master waterbender, that I didn't think about the consequences of learnig from her.

"She taught me all kinds of new things, how to draw water from the things around me-even the air. I thought it was incredible! Sokka had been suspicious from the start, and I brushed it off as him being his paranoid self. But things started coming together the night she taught me how she escaped the Fire Nation prison. People had been going missing at night. Sokka, Toph and Aang wanted to check it out, but I just wanted to learn from her. So they investigated without me.

"She took me into the woods on the night of the full moon. It was there that I figured it out. She had been the one cuasing people to go missing. She told me I would learn the technique and pass on the knowledge. I refused when I heard her describe Bloodbending, The story of how she escaped…"

Katara trailed off as she remembered, shivering slightly. Zuko was hooked. He wanted to know how it ended. He was sure Katara had learned how to tell stories well from years of sitting around fires in igloos, listning to the elders of her tribe talk about their lives-surly as Uncle spoke of his.

"What happened?" He asked qiuetly, pulling her from her thoughts. She had almost forgotten he was there. She realized with a start that he was actually helping her distract herself from what lay ahead for the day. Well, she gladly welcomed a distraction, If it was Zuko, so be it.

"She was one of the last waterbenders in my tribe to be captured by the Fire Nation. During that time she spent in her cell, they would never give her or any of the other benders water without extreme restraints and supervision. So instead of using the water they had on the outside…she taught herself how to manipulate the water on the inside. Practicing on rodents in her cell at first, then when the guards open her cell, she attacked. Forced the guards to turn their wepons on one another. She walked out free.

"I didn't want to learn something so vile, taking away another person's free will-even Fire Nation citizans. Everyone has a right to be in control of their own bodies. No matter what the circumstances are. She warned me that I should have learned the technique from her before turning on her. Then she turned the technique on me. It was horrible. I had no control of my body, my mucles. I felt helpless as she manipulated me.

"But I was stronger then her. I broke free, harnessing the power of the full moon. We fought until Sokka and Aang showed up. She just used them against me by Bloodbending them. I finally got them restrained and thought I had a winning chance. But then she tried to make them attack one another."

"Tried?" Zuko asked, knowing whatever happened, Aang and Sokka obviously hadn't hurt one another.

Katara took a breath, "Something came over me and…I just _did_ it. Just before Sokka and Aang reached one another, the stopped moving. I had taken control of Hamma,"

"The old woman?" Katara nodded at the firebender's inquiry.

"I bent her blood. At that point, those who had been captured by her showed up, led by Toph. As they dragged her away, she congraulated me, saying that I was now a Bloodbender. I was mortified."

"You were protecting your family. Sometimes we do crazy things for those we love." Zuko thought of how he had tried to face Azula in Ba Sing Se after his uncle had made it away safely, how his own mother had no doubt killed Azulon to protect him. How Azula, for one reason or another, decided to join him.

Katara shook her head, "I vowed never to do it again."

"…So why did you do it back there?" It was more then a question of curiosity. Zuko wanted to know if she was really willing to give up her morals for this mission. And if so, did she know who she would be once she came out?

Katara took a deep breath, considering her answer. "I'm changing. I know now that things aren't so simple as having a 'dark side' and a 'light side'. There's more too it then that. I'm finding that nothing is inherently evil, just like nothing is inherently good."

"You think there's a good side to Bloodbending?" Zuko asked.

Katara smirked to herself, knowing Zuko couldn't see it, but could probably hear it in her voice as she said, "It got us answers, didn't it?"

Zuko chuckled lightly, surprising Katara. She had never heard him laugh before, it was actually kind of…nice.

That thought startled Katara. She would have pondered on it, save for the fact that Zuko leaned over her shoulder, his face directly next to hers at a dangerous proximity. Her heart did a funny flutter thing that felt kind of framiliar, but she couldn't place where from. That all left, though, when the next words came out of his mouth.

"Look, We're here."

Looking out, her eyes landed upon the small island that most likely held the man who killed her mother.

All the lightness of the atmosphere left when she realized that they were close.

It was time.

 **A/N: There we have it! I hope you enjoyed this one, please let me know what you thought, as always I really appreciate when you leave a reveiew-I get so happy reading them, I keep refreshing the page to see if any more pop up! So please leave one on your way out, and I will catch ya on the next one! (Which will hopefully be done quicker then this one was)**

 **Writer out! ~0-0~**


	19. Live and Let Live

**A/N: Hey, I'm back! And just in the nick of time to keep up with my original posting schedule, not bad! This chapter isn't super long I found, but we get a bit more into Katara and Zuko's relationship, not so much of Sokka and Azula just yet (That comes later my dears!) But I think it turned out super well! I will let you read on now!**

 **DISCLAIMER: DON'T OWN IT-NOT MINE!**

Chapter 19: Live and Let Live

The two teens on the air bison dismounted, making sure Appa was hidden.

Katara looked to Zuko, waiting to see if he knew where to go next. Where was a Fire Nation man most likely to go in a day?

Apparently, the market was the answer.

Zuko and Katara walked through the oddly barren streets and ally-ways, searching for the man they had been trying to reach for the past 48 hours.

Glancing over her shoulder, Katara's eyes widened as she spotted a tall, thin man with grey hair, buying fruit from a stand across the street.

She grabbed onto Zuko's tunic and tugged him behind an empty cart on their side of the street.

"Is that him?" Zuko asked in a hoarse whisper, peering over the top of the cart.

"I'm not sure. We have to get closer." She answerd in the same tone, watching with him.

They both ducked as the man turned, likely having heard them somehow. That theory was proven correct when they heard him call out before asking the vendor, "Did you see someone?"

Zuko breathed a sigh of relief, watching as the man walked away from the cart. Katara was staring hard at the ground. His voice… he had _sounded_ framiliar.

She was pulled from her thoughts when Zuko grabbed her arm gently, pulling her to a standing position beside him. "Let's follow him."

She nodded and they made after the man, ducking behind structures and into ally-ways any and everytime they thought they would be spotted.

As they followed him down a stone stair well, Katara got a good look at his face as he started down the stairs going down parallel to the ones she and Zuko were on.

"Hello?" The man called out in that same voice. The Blue Spirit and The Painted Lady's alter egos ducked behind the stone railing that went along-side the steps. Once the man moved on, they looked over it again.

"That was him," Katara stated, venom lacing her words as she glared at the man's back. "That was the monster."

They followed said monster out of the stone paths and onto a dirt road.

Yon Ra was visibly suspisious. Every few seconds he would throw a glance over his shoulder, or stop to listen.

Zuko and Katara had hopped from hiding spot-to- hiding spot until coming to rest behind a large stone next to the path.

Somewhere along the way, it started to rain.

Yon Ra stopped. He barely hesitated before whipping around, his fist following his body and cuasing a large arc of fire to brush back towards the way he had come, shouting, "No one sneaks up on me without getting burned!"

All was silent for a few moments as the Fire Nation resident stayed in his alert position. After a heartbeat, he stood and gathered up his food that he had dropped, continuing on his way.

Yet, somehow, Zuko had managed to run a trip-wire across the path while Yon Ra was distracted. When the old man began walking again, he walked straight into the trap.

As soon as he was down, Zuko was out in front of him, a well aimed blast of fire directed at the man's feet. A pulled back fist indicated that he was ready to release another one.

"We weren't behind the bush." Zuko stated, rather calmly given the situation they were in. He advanced on the fallen man, "and I wouldn't try firebending again!"

Yon Ra cowered, covering his face, "Whoever you are, take my money, take whatever you want, I'll cooperate."

He was being oddly cowerdly for someone who used to have so much power. Zuko kept his fists aimed at him as Katara walked up from behind him.

She pulled down her mask, staring hard at the man before her, "Do you know who I am?" She asked with a voice as hard and cold as stone.

"No…I'm not sure?" Yon Ra answered, dropping his guard a little as he tried to place the face of the young woman before him. Her murderous blue eyes looked framilar…

"Oh, you better remember me like your life _depends on it!_ " She shouted back, not in a patient mood it would seem.

Zuko kept quiet as he watched the long over-due confrontation unfold.

Speaking at a normal volume again she said, "Why don't you take a closer look."

Yon Ra did just that, taking in her long dark hair, her ocean blue eyes, her tanned skin with a band of blue against her neck. He had seen that pendant before…

"Yes…Yes, I remember you now. You're the little water tribe girl." _Not so little and a lot more angry now…_ Lightning flashed behind her as he recalled their first meeting.

He had bardged into the igloo, a place fit for rat-vipers he had thought. He had been given a direct order from the Fire Lord Azulon himself.

Kill the last waterbender of the Southern Water Tribe.

The plan was direct and simple. Get in, get ahold of the old hag their source had told them about, get the job done.

Nothing was standing in his way, and he would have this small victory to gloat about within the hour.

A young woman, no older then some of his comrades, was alone in the dwelling place. She had looked up upon his arrival, and glared fiercely at him-almost as if she had been expecting him.

She had a light in her eye that could rival that of a firebender. A spark that sold out what kind of person she was, fierce and brave. Perhaps it was her he was after.

"Who are you? Why you attacking our villiage?!" She had spit at him.

He simply fell into a stance, ready to deliver a swift blow if she were to incooperate. "You have information we need. We know exactly who you are. Wife of Chief Hakoda. You know where the last waterbender is. Tell me, and you will be left unharmed."

It was an empty offer, this was going to end in scorch marks either way. But it was a bribe that usually worked.

The woman opened her mouth, only to be cut off by the rushed sound of someone making an entrance behind him.

A young child, no older then 8 or 9, a girl with scared blue eyes walked in on the scene.

"Mom?"

Ah. The Chief's daughter. Most likely considered a Princess among her pitiful people.

The small girl and her mother shared a look, before the woman he was questioning looked back to him.

"Leave her alone! If you let her go, I'll give you the information you want."

There it was.

He turned to the small child, "You heard your mother-get out of here!" He had shouted. Cuasing the girl to flintch before desperately turning again to her mother, claiming she was scared.

Her mother reassured her that all was going to be fine, to go find the Chief. That she would handle it.

Unlikely.

The child turned and fled, and the mother turned back to him.

"Now tell me. Who is it? Who is the last waterbender?"

"There are no waterbenders here," The woman glared, "The Fire Nation took them away a long time ago."

"You're lying." He stated shortly, "My source tells me there is one waterbender left in the Southern Water Tribe. We are not leaving until we find the waterbender!" He was getting impatient, demanding to have the man or woman they were looking for.

"If I tell you," She bowed her head, "Do you promise to leave the rest of the villiage alone?"

He gave an affermitive hum, awaiting his answer.

She looked up at him then, staring into his eyes, almost like she was putting a price on his person.

"It's me. Take me as your prisioner."

He knew it! Now just to execute the end of the plan.

Simple.

"I'm afraid I won't be taking any prisioners today."

He had ended her life then and there, calling to his men to dispose of her body swiftly. As soon as the job was done, they made their way off the frozen tundra, leaving behind the Chief and his family as they grieved the loss of their precious waterbender.

Yon Ra gulped as he was pulled back to the present, watching the lethally angry daughter of the woman he had killed, stare him down with a glare that matched perfectly with that of her mother's.

"She lied to you. She was protecting the last waterbender." The young girl disclosed, turning away with a pained expression.

Yon Ra was shocked. All this time- he had killed the wrong one? He had gloated and been praised over nothing?!

"What?! Who?!"

At that, the girl finally turned on him, all her rage and pain poured into one word as she came face-to-face with the realitiy of what was happening.

" _ME!"_

At this, she stomped, bending down to the ground, and-proving true to her claim- she _bent the water._ She stopped the rain from completing it's journey to the earth, creating a large dome overhead.

Yon Ra was speechless. He had been fooled, been wrong. And now his past had come back to slap him in the face in the form of an unhinged teenage girl who had had her mother ripped away from her for all the wrong reasons.

Zuko pulled down his mask, not caring that he was in front of this Fire Nation scum who would likely recognize him if he lived. He stared up in wonder as Katara _stopped the rain._

His wonder turned into fear, horror, amazement- a mix of extreamly strong emotions, really- as he watched her effortlessly gather all the collected water up, forming huge spikes of ice.

And then flung them towards the man at the ground.

Yon Ra yelped and covered his face again, hearing the sounds of large shards of ice puncture the moist ground around him. It took him a moment to realize none had punctured him.

He cautiously opened his eyes, only to see dozens of ice spears _hovering over his chest._

Zuko was as speechless and shell-shocked as he had been when he witnessed her Bloodbend. And-not for the first time on this trip- realized that Katara is a dangerous force to be rekoned with.

Katara dropped her stance and hung her head, allowing the ice to drop back into liquid form and fall to the earth.

Yon Ra jumped at the opportunity to get mercy, "I did a bad thing, I know I did! And you deserve revenge, so why not take my mother? That's fair!"

Zuko looked at the man on the ground in horror. Who would give up their mother for their own life! He was pulled from his thoughts of disdain when the girl beside him started speaking softly.

"I always wondered what kind of person could do such a thing, now that I see you, I think I understand. There's just nothing inside you, nothing at all!" She claimed as she moved forward, glaring hard at the man before her.

"You're pathetic, and sad, and empty."

This was all true. Everything Yon Ra had fought to keep hidden- how breaking every moral code he had really made him feel- came to the surface as this one oung girl uncovered who he was, laying it bare for him to see. He began to cry as he petheticly whimpered,"Please…spare me!"

"But as much as I hate you…I just can't do it."

Yon Ra looked up, shaking as he shed more tears. She closed her eyes and turned away, her companion following in her wake.

Yon Ra sat there and cried, trying to work out what his long and hurtful life had come to.

/\

The walk back to Appa, and the first few minutes of riding on him had been silent.

Zuko was surprised when Katara-who was sitting in the saddle as he steered- broke the silenece with a small yet strong voice.

"I wanted to do it…I _so badly_ wanted to do it."

Zuko glanced back, seeing that she was curled into herself, her knees against her chest, her arms wrapped around them, and her forehead resting against them.

Zuko looked foreward again, then-deciding it was ok to let Appa fly on his own for a little bit- pat the Bision's head before climbing over the edge of the saddle.

He gingerly sat down next to Katara, looking at her, trying to figure out what to say.

Surprising yet again, he found words came easily to him. "You did what you thought was right. That's all that matters."

She looked up at him, and he could see the tears running down her face. He so badly wanted to comfort her, but decided that if she wanted to initiate any physical contact, she would.

"Is it, though?" She asked, looking right at him. "Thanks to me, that man is still out there, living, able to hurt someone else. And it's my fault!"

"It's not your fault!" He said a little to quickly, a bit too loud, and took a breath. "He is who he is, I won't say you did or didn't do the right thing. This was about you getting closure, no matter what it took to get it. Like I said, you did what you had too. And if that means letting him go free, then so be it. At least now he maybe understands what a horrible person he is."

Katara looked to the side, her tears having lessend. "Maybe he'll do the job for me." She muttered, catching Zuko off guard.

He had to stiffle his snicker, taking one's own life was no laughing matter, but the way she said it, so plainly, and with no readable emotion was amusing.

"At least Aang will be happy." She continued, glancing back at him briefly, before looking out over the water.

"Is that what you're worried about. That he'll be proud of you?" Zuko asked, honestly, if that were the case, then maybe she didn't feel any closure at all. Only to make the Avatar proud! How was that even-

"Of course not. I don't need his validation. I know who I am." She sighed, leaning her head on her knees again. "He just didn't want me to… I don't know, give into being evil,or something."

Zuko shook his head, "Taking a life for a life doesn't make you evil." He stated and she looked to him again.

"Speaking from experience?" She asked, almost…teasing? But the sad tone to her voice made it hard to tell.

He smirked, thinking of how his mother eledgedly killed his grandfather to protect him. "Not exactly."

She gave him a curious look, but he didn't elaborate.

Silence passed between them again as Katara went over the last two days in her mind. Which led into the last tow weeks, and so on. She didn't want to forget what had happened just an hour ago. But what was done, was done. Time to move on and learn and grow from the experience. She had gotten what she wanted, she had gotten closure. Now it was time to save the world with her family.

Family.

That word struck an odd cord with her.

She lifted her head to look at the young man sitting across from her. All he had done in the last 48 hours, he had done for her-not because he would gain anything from it, but because it was what she needed. Last time she checked… that's what family did for one another.

Zuko's thought process wasn't as deep as the waterbender's. He was looking past her, out towards the ocean, trying to think of their next move. Katara had gotten what she needed, and he was glad he had helped her do it. Now was the time to figure out what to do.

There were a few weeks left before the comet, a few weeks left to train Aang, to finalize their plans. But they really couldn't do that while travling like nomads. They needed to get in touch with their support groups. Katara and Sokka's father, his… his uncle. Maybe a couple of the benders and nomads that Aang had met on his travles before the Fire Nation siblings joined him. They needed to get their hands on a messenger hawk maybe. They needed to go somewhere civilized, somewhere wih a market, messenger hawks, a place for them to stay undercover until the comet. A place like-

No…

Zuko perked up slightly, noticing Katara look at him with big blue eyes. His thought process sped up as a plan fell into place. Would the rest of the group be up for it? Would Azula? No, Azula would hate it. But it was worth a shot… and their father would never think to look for his treacherous children in the place they used to always visit.

Back when they were one big happy family.

Of sorts.

"Zuko." He looked to Katara when she said his name. He was begining to notice a pattern. Every time she said his name, angry or otherwise, she captured his full attention, ready to listen to whatever she had to say. She had him hooked. He was sure it would always be that way. He nodded to her, waiting for her to say what she had on her mind.

"…Thank you. For helping me with this."

The way she said it, he could tell she was sincere, if not a bit reluctant. Hopefully this meant she was coming around, warming up to him.

He smiled a little, not a full one just yet, but it was there. "You're welcome… I was thinking. I have somewhere we can hide out until the comet hits. Somewhere the Fire Lord would never think to look for us." He stated, still looking at her.

She raised an eyebrow. "Where? Like in the Fire Nation itself?" She ment it as a joke, but at his serious nod, she faltered.

"Oh. Why would your fat-uh, the Fire Lord not look there?"

"We won't exactly be _in_ the Fire Nation. More on the outskirts of it. There's an island we used to travel to as a family. But that was a long time ago…" He trailed, looking over Appa's head.

"What island is it?"

He looked back to her. Was she actually trying to make honest conversation with him? Was she really warming up to him as he had hoped?

All-in-all, he answered her, "Ember Island. It's more like a resort. My family owns a house there. We can use it until the Comet hits, like I said, we would be safe."

"Why wouldn't the Fire Lord look there? If I were a tyrant, I would have every stone turned over, even- _especially-_ those right under my nose."

Zuko almost laughed at her claim. He couldn't even imagine Katara being a tyrant. He just shook his head lightly. "My family hasn't been there in years. The last time we all went together was when my mother was still around. Back when my family was still happy. That was a long time ago."

When he started speaking of his mother again, Katara was taken back to Ba Sing Se. Part of her wanted to brush him off. After all, hadn't he gotten her to trust him the first time around with sob stories about his mother?

But this time she felt different. A much larger part of her wanted to accept him, what he was saying. She thought back to the last two days, two big days for her that he had been a big part of.

She had accepted Azula. Maybe now it was time to accept him too.

"What…your mother. What really happened to her?"

Zuko was caught off guard and his head snapped towards her direction. He had a shocked look on that-if she were being honest with herself- looked utterly ridiculous yet unfairly adorable on the usually-stoic Prince's face. Then it softened, as he remembered all that had happened.

"I don't know for sure. Only what Ozai told me on the Day of Black Sun. when Azula and I confronted him, he told us the story. How my uncle had been in Ba Sing Se, trying to take it over."

"The siege that he led. I remember stories of the Dragon of the West from when I was a child." Katara confirmed.

"Those stories reached you guys?" Zuko asked. Had his uncle really been that well known?

Katara nodded and he hummed in acknowledgment before continuing. "His son, my cousin Lu Ten, had been there with him, on the front lines. My uncle was the heir to the Fire throne, supposed to take it over after Azulon died, then Lu Ten would be next in line. But Lu Ten died in Ba Sing Se. My uncle was devastated, he decided to withdrawl from the siege. My father thought it was an act of cowerdice, and that uncle should have been punished, his birthright renounced. He felt he should have been next in line for the throne, now that uncle no longer had an heir.

"Azulon grew angry at Ozia for suggesting such a thing and…he ordered my father to kill me, so that he would know what it was like to loose a son."

Katara's eyes grew wide as she gasped, _kill your own son?! What kind of monster…_ her shock and horror was soon replaced by that of pure rage as Zuko went on.

"He told Azula and I that he was planning to do it."

 _That's it,_ Katara thought to herself, _peacefuly ending this war be damned, that Fire Lord is going to die!_

Zuko could see her growing murderous yet again, almost as deadly as she had looked when dealing with those men these last few days, but he plowed on.

"My mother jumped in. She told my father that she had a plan that would not only spare me, but put my father on the throne. It would get her banished, but I would be safe."

Katara's eyes again widened, this time in understanding, "Kill the Fire Lord."

Zuko nodded, mentaly noting how quick she was to reach that conclusion, a lot like his mother had been quick to come up with it. "I remember her coming into my room that night, saying that everything she had done, she had done to protect me. She told me to never forget who you are." He fell silent for a moment as he remembered, and Katara let him be as he gathered his thoughts. "When I woke up the next morning, she was gone, my grand father was dead and my father was preparing for his corrination. It all happened so fast, I could barely keep up."

"…So, she's still alive?" Katara asked hopefully, positive as always.

Zuko shrugged, "I'm not sure. After we win this thing, I want to find her, or at least try too. I know she has to be out there still."

Katara nodded. "We'll help you Zuko."

He smiled a little again. So she didn't completely hate him anymore, that was a plus.

"I feel like I need to be the one to find her, like it's my fault that she's gone." He glowered off to the side, all too framiliar with this feeling of self-loathing he got each time he thought of his mother recently.

Katara shook her head. Hesitantly, she rested her hand on his knee. He looked at her, startled that she had touched him and she took her hand back, having gotten his attention.

"Right after my mother was killed, I blamed myself. I was angry because I felt it was my fault, my being born with this amazing ability, that had gotten her killed. That if I hadn't been born with this power, she would still be alive. I didn't want to bend after that. It took months, and finally my dad explained to me that it wasn't my fault at all. That who I am is an amazing person with a beautiful talent. He told me that my mom would have wanted me to feel that way every single day. That she would want me to learn how to bend, how to use this talent so that she didn't die in vain.

"Your mother may be gone because she was protecting you, but it was her choice, her love for you that moved her to do it. I don't think she would want you to hate yourself for being loved by her."

Zuko sat there, speechless at the sheer amount of wisdom pouring from this girl. Did she even know how wise she sounded? He realized that she must have learned it from somewhere.

"It sounds like your father is as wise as your mother was brave." He stated quietly, not really trusting his voice.

Maybe she was right. His mother had chosen him over herself. And he would have to honor that.

Looking out again, he saw they were nearing a plot of land.

Ember Island.

He looked to Katara.

"If you want some time to yourself, I can drop you off on Ember Island," He gestured to the land in the distance that was steadily growing larger, "Then go get the others and bring them here."

Katara eyed the island that was coming into view before looking at the boy before her. Some time alone would be nice. She nodded, "I'd like that."

It took another half hour before he was landing on the docks to let her off. The island where the others were was only about 2 hours away, he would be back by sundown.

She turned to look at him before he and Appa took off again.

"Be safe, and don't kill Sokka on the way back." She actually _did_ tease him that time, making him smile the slightest yet again.

"No promises."

He was about to take off before Katara called to him again, as always, capturing his whole attention with just his name.

"Zuko, again, thank you."

He just nodded dumbly at her intense gaze. She stepped back and he and Appa took off, ready to find the rest of their family.

Katara sat herself on the edge of the dock, putting her feet into her element. She had a few hours and a lot to think about. She knew she was at least satisfied with how facing her mother's killer turned out. She was still a bit confused on that front. But she decided to work through the new issue that had recently popped up.

How she felt about the Fire Nation Prince.

As she began working through her feelings, she had no idea that on the back of a flying Bison, said Prince was working through his thoughts about her, just the same.

Something between them had changed, and it was their job to figure out what.

 **I hope this went well, you know what would let me know for sure? Your reveiws!- I didn't get any this last chapter- I was super bummed, I love reading what you all have to say, so please, please, please let me know what you think! It makes me a better writer which make you happier readers! Anyway, I'll catch ya on the next one dears!**

 **Writer out! ~0-0~**


	20. Knowing Who You Are

**A/N: Ok! This is long overdue! So very sorry that I left you hanging for a week- life got in the way! But I love this chapter and how it ended up turning out, and I hope you will too! I will start up with the next chapter soon, but it might take me a while to get it written because I have a lot going on right about now, but I will be posting for sure!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I OWN NONE OF THIS MASTERPIECE! (If I did, all my fave ships would be canon!)**

Chapter 20: Knowing Who You Are

Azula was losing her mind.

Plain and simple.

She had immediently taken over training Aang when Zuko had left with Katara. The young boy was improving, even by her standards. And her standards were extreamly hard to reach. She had gotten him to herself the entirety of the day before because Toph was for some reason holed up in her little earth tent all day. This gave them more time to perfect his bending.

But this was not why she was losing her mind. Training a young boy in how to become a prestigious firebender was nothing, she could do it for hours on end-even if he wanted to give up one hour into it at times.

No. No, no. She was losing her mind because currently, the two most relatable people in camp were missing.

Her brother-she had never related to him on all levels, but now that they were trying to reconcile things between the two of them, they were getting there- and Katara-They were the same age, both masters, both girls, both totally and painfully infatuated with the other's sibling, though they would _never_ admit it, and heck they were even the same hight!- they were both gone!

That left only three others-four if you included the lemur- one of which was a young, bald, 12 year old monk with the weight of the world on his shoulders. Another was a boyish little green girl with eyes in her feet. And yet another was a young, ridiculous worrior who had somehow-in the last 48 hours-managed to reduce Azula to a scrambled mess of nerves and near stuttering every time he was around her!

Each and every time she attempted to speak with him, it came out,

"Sokka, we need to-" *cue loud crash from across camp, taking his attention off her*

"Hello, Sokka. I need to tell–" *cue Aang bursting from his tent on an air-scooter, bugging her to start training*

"Sokka, I-" *cue Toph creating some massive rock to jut out of the ground beneath Sokka, sending him flying, for a prank*

None of it was working, and she couldn't vent to anyone!

What she wouldn't give to talk to a girl her age right now.

Azula was just glad that she and Toph had been busy the last two days training Aang, and that Katara had left a fool-proof meal plan that the four-five, again, lemur- could follow in her absence.

It was nearing mid-day and she was growing worried. Shouldn't they have been back by now?

She could tell Sokka was also growing anxious. It showed in the way he tensely carried out menial tasks, how he would pace back and forth for hours just for something to do.

Azula had excused herself to practice alone for a while about an hour ago. She was training on the outskirts of their little camp when the young Water Tribesman approached her.

"Hey, 'Zula. Any sign of them yet?" He asked as he looked to the sky, and too the horizon beyond.

She didn't know when it had started, but Sokka had taken to calling her by the nickname Zuko used to use on her when they were children. When he first said it, she had almost been stunned. But now she found it…endearing-which was an odd feeling for her, but she was sure that is what she was feeling.

She sighed as she streached, hoping to show off some muscle some-what casually, and said, "No. Not yet. I'm sure they're fine. This was a big mission." Azula mentaly praised herself for not sounding totally stupid around him this time. Seriously. She was a Princess for Fire's sake! She used to have men trembling and on their kness in front of her! Why was it becoming so hard to speak to this one?

Ty-Lee would have known. She did try to help her at that party on Ember Island.

Ugh. Ember Island. She would live content if she never had to set foot on that soil again.

But in the meantime…perhaps Katara would be of some use in this department. She obviously knew how to woo guys. The Avatar was obviously into her, she could tell that Haru kid had at least admired her, and she could tell that now even Zuko was falling for her.

What was her secret?

"Yeah.. I'm just worried about Katara. She was pretty upset when she left. I don't want her doing something she would regret later." Sokka said as he looked from the sky to Azula.

"Your sister is strong. She won't do anything she isn't capable of handling." Azula answered off-handedly, still trying to figure out Katara's seemingly special way with boys.

Sokka, however, found her comment interesting. "You and Katara are really getting along now, aren't you?"

"Hm? Oh. Yes, I suppose so. She's proved a good friend." She was still speaking distractedly, only this time because she could have sworn she saw something in the distance. A black speck against the still-blue sky.

"Huh. You know I never pictured you and Zuko teaming up with us. And even after you did- I never imagined you and my sister becoming best friends." Sokka stated casually, causing Azula to whip around and face him.

"Best friends?" Azula asked, dropping out of a stretch she had learned from Ty-Lee, a little shocked if she were being honest.

She wouldn't say they were best friends. Not yet anyway. She definatly considered Katara a friend, and best friend…well she would like to work up to that. She had never really had a _real_ friend before. Mai and Ty-Lee, sure they were close when they were kids, but then drifted apart as they went their separate ways. Ty-Lee to the circus, Mai to her noble life as the Governer of Omashu's daughter. And Azula to her duties as a Princess and goals of taking over the world.

But now everything was different. She had people who were beginning to care for her. People _she_ was beginning to care about…

In every sense of the word.

She was about to say something, she wasn't sure what. She just opened up her mouth, ready for an onslaught of words to present themselves-when Sokka jumped up in surprise.

"Is that…Appa! They're back!"

He unthinkingly grabbed Azula's shoulder, shaking her roughly-not that she minded, really- before running back into camp.

Azula turned to see the Bison getting bigger and bigger.

Silently, she touched her shoulder.

/\

Landing gently, Zuko hopped off Appa and made his way over to Azula, who was standing there with a dumb, not-quiet-there look on her face.

"Azula?"

She seemed to snap out of her stupor at the sound of her name and looked up.

"Zuko? Oh!"

She shook her head lightly before flinging herself to him. He was caught off guard and stumbled back a bit before wrapping his arms around her.

"Hey."

"What took so long? We were getting worried." She admitted into her big brother's chest. He smiled softly, that same almost-smile that only she and Katara seemed to be able to pull out of him.

"We ran into a few dificulties." He explained, releasing his sister.

She nodded and looked over his shoulder, then back to him. She raised an eyebrow.

She had been excited and anxious to see Katara, the only other girl her age in their group. She had needed to speak with her. When she finaly realized her brother was standing in front of her, she had been glad to know the girl she was almost starting to view as a sister was going to follw. Only for her to…not, follow.

Dissapointment swarmed through her, right up until it was replaced with an extreme feeling of worry that she didn't know she was capable of feeling-she had only ever felt it a handful of times, all after joining this group, too.

"Where's she at?"Azula asked, sounding like a little girl who had been expecting a play date with her best friend, only for that friend to cancle because they were sick.

Zuko sighed, "I should explain on the way."

Thirty minutes later, camp was all packed up and the group was heading towards an unknown-to them at least, Zuko knew exactly where they were going- destination.

Aang was on Appa's head, asking no questions as Zuko just told him to tell Appa to fly back to where he had just come from.

Once a course was set and everyone was settled in the large saddle, Zuko began.

"Katara needed some time to herself, so I dropped her off at our next location."

"Which would be where, Sparky?" Toph asked from her place on-surprisingly- Aang's arm.

Zuko hesitated, nervously glancing at Azula. "Ember Island."

Azula was silent.

Then,

"Wait, what?"

"I know, you aren't going to like it, neither do I, but it's our best shot at staying hidden. Besides, you know there's a place for us to stay there."

"Zuko. We haven't been there since-" She cut herself off as she glanced around at her friends. What was she going to say? We haven't been there since or mother left us? Since our father actualy treated us somewhat decently? Since we were happy kids? Since we crashed a party and burned down the host's house for fun?

"Um..what's on Ember Island?" Aang asked cautiously.

Azula sighed and sank in her seat, "Our family owns a house there. It's where we used to go every summer as kids." She explained while rubbing at her temples.

Sokka eyed her curiously, then turned to Zuko, "Do you really think it's a good idea to be staying in the Fire Nation? In the Fire Lord's _house?_ "

Zuko nodded. "We haven't been there…in a while. It's the last place he would think to look for us."

"Ha. 'In a while' don't be so lax ZuZu. We haven't been there since our mother was around and we were one big happy family!" Azula snapped, not at all pleased that she would have to go back to the one place she ever really felt her age. The one place she learned to trust her brother, mother and uncle. The one place she felt she could be happy without her father breathing down her neck.

"At least we'll be safe. We need somewhere constant to train Aang until the comet. Then we can leave and never have to step foot in that place again." Zuko assured, just as unhappy about the situation as his sister.

"So. With that out of the way- how did it go with Sugar Queen?" Toph inquired, keeping her foggy eyes trained on the saddle. She felt Aang tense under her grip slightly, and squeezed his arm in an uncharacteristicly supportive manner.

The young Avatar had been taking all his anxiety over the situation with Katara and her revenge mission out in his training. When Toph made a comment about how he had seemed more like an earthbender this time around, he had explained his concerns.

Zuko shook his head, parplexed and amazed as he recalled all that Katara had done in the past 48 hours.

"I-I, it was insane. We started by finding a communtication tower-that didn't take long, we got the information we needed and got out."

"That much is evident, seeing as you are back now, I'm assuming you found the killer?" Azula asked, trying to get her mind off where they were headed.

Zuko tilted his head to the side slightly, "Not at first. We found where they were patrolling and broke onto the main ship."

"Please tell me there was epic water-fire duo butt-kicking!" Sokka pleaded, striking his fists into the air as if boxing someone.

"Katara did most of the bending. She got us on and got the guards off. Once we got into the control room, we thought we had him."

"'Thought'? What, did you get the wrong guy or something?" Toph asked, wanting to know just as much as the others if Sugar Queen really did have a dark side she could tap into.

"Yes. But we didn't know that at first. We found the captian and he started attacking. I was fending him off until something outside of my control stopped him."

"Stop being so vegue, brother. What does that even mean?" Azula questioned, straightening up as she turned to Zuko.

Zuko turned to Sokka. "Out of no where, Katara just started controlling him, using her own bending. Like she was…" He trailed, trying to remember the name of the horrid technique.

"Bloodbending." Sokka said quietly. It wasn't a question.

Aang went wide-eyed as Azula squiented. "Bloodbending, what is that?" She asked the same time Aang said, "She swore she would never do it again."

Zuko looked between his two family members-that's what they were to him now- and answered Azula first.

"It's a technique Katara learned while she and the others were hiding out in the Fire Nation-"

"Wait," She turned to Sokka, "You were in the Fire Nation?"

Sokka shook his head, a distant look that Azula didn't like on his face, "Long story, go on."

Zuko shook his head, turing back to his sister. "It's where you bend the blood of someone using waterbending. Like bending the water inside someone."

Azula raised an eyebrow. "As in, making them do what you want, by…"

"Puppetering them? Yeah, that's exactly what it is, Zappy." Toph finished for her.

Azula shuddered herself, finding the mental images terrifying yet intreuging, how would that work? And couldn't it be used for good things?

Aang had been quiet but now looked to Zuko.

"She felt awful after she learned how to do it. Why would she do it again?" He asked, looking soelem.

"She was going through a hard time Aang. You have to respect that. Sometimes our emotions get the better of us. She didn't hurt anyone-we just got the information that we needed and got out of there." Zuko further explained. He hopped Aang understood the importance of backing off when it came to this. Katara was strong. She knew what she had to do, what she _needed_ and how to get it done. Aang couldn't take that away from her.

"Ok…What happened after the…" Azula made a gesture resembling that of a puppeteer, a strange look on her face as she imagined little Fire Nation men dangling from strings attached to her fingers.

"We found out the name of your mother's killer," Zuko said, looking to Sokka, "Yon Ra. He had retired, so we tracked him down to an Island not to far from Ember Island. That's where we found him."

"…And? What happened Sparky!?" Toph asked, getting rather tired of the dramatic pause he kept inserting.

"She faced him. It took him a minute to remember who she was, but once he did he started begging her for mercy." Zuko tried not to smile too proudly at that-this did not go unnoticed by Azula, who watched with satisfaction as he failed to keep the little half smile off his face.

"Was he on his knees?" Sokka asked, darker then he had meant to sound. Now that he had the name of the man that took his mother from him, he had no remorse for him if he did die at his sisters hand.

Zuko chuckled-much to Aang's discomfort- and said, "On his knees, his back, in the mud. It had started raining."

"Ooh. What waterbending moves did she use on him?" Azula asked with piqued interest. She had no personal vendetta aginst this man, other then that he had hurt her new family. Vengence seemed fitting in this case.

Zuko's eyes went wide, "She stopped the rain. Directly above our heads, it created a dome. The she gathered it all up, freezing it into spikes and flung it at-"

"STOP!" Aang shouted abruptly, getting up to his knees and making Toph topple over in the process. Azula caught her.

Meanwhile, everyone looked at Aang in shock, wondering what had caused the outburst.

Toph understood. She had felt the boy's heart rate picking up as Zuko explained in detail what had happened, he didn't want to hear if Katara had killed someone. And if so, how.

"Aang, she didn't hurt anyone." Zuko assured softly-well soft for Zuko anyway. The Avatar swallowed and nodded stiffly, sitting back down slowly. Toph resumed her position on his arm and pinched him. Hard.

"OW! Oh… sorry Toph." He muttered, bowing his head.

"You were saying, Sparky?" Toph asked, turning in Zuko's general direction.

Zuko just shook his head. "She stopped these giant spears made of ice just cintemeters away from his chest. Some of the bigger ones got stuck in the mud around him. When she was done, she just kind of deflated. She told him off for what a horrible person he is and left it at that." He decided to leave out the part where she told him she wanted to end the man's life, thinking it was better if they hear that from her herself.

"So she didn't do it. Good. She let her anger go." Aang concluded, ignoring-or rather, not noticing- the 'are you serious' glares cast his way from the Fire Nation siblings.

"That may be the case," Zuko stated quietly, not trusting his voice to not rise of it's own accord if he didn't keep his temper in check, "But I don't know if she forgave him. And that's up to her to decide."

He stated the last part punctually. He did not want Aang influencing her decision at all. This wasn't about him. He was a good kid, but he couldn't get in the way of others feeling fulfilled.

"Well, that's great, no one died. Did she forgive you?" Azula asked, straight to the point.

Zuko was taken aback for a minute, that same stupid voice in his head- the one that had been reminding _him_ of all _he_ had done to Katara, the one that told him to remember all he had done along with the Captian he was intterogating on the Southern Raiders ship- popped up again.

Did she forgive him? Was that why she was being civil towards him on the way back? Or was that just her emotional drainage from the last two days keeping her from hating him for a while? He had no clue.

He closed his eyes as he said, "It doesn't matter. All that does is that she's safe and satisfyied with what she's done."

Azula and Toph smiled to themselves. So Azula had been right, her brother did have feelings for her friend. This was coming along nicely.

Toph felt Aang tense up again, probably from taking note of whatever Almost-love-struck-but-won't-show-it expression Zuko was wearing.

Sokka was indifferent, apparently not noticing the atmospherical change that occurred within the group.

The rest of the ride was spent in contemplaitive silence.

Toph-in a surprisingly soft gesture, and because she was still feeling the effects of the cold she had just gotten over a day ago(She hadn't told anyone, she was tough, she could take it)- leaned her head drowsily on Aang's shoulder.

Zuko leaned back against the saddle side, watching as Ember Island came into view.

Azula went from looking at everyone on the saddle-lingering on Sokka probably more so then she should have- to looking at the approaching island as well. At least she would get to Katara faster. They needed to talk about their brothers.

Sokka sharpened his boomerang as he waited for Appa to land.

When he did, A thought struck the young heir to the Water Tribe, and he hopped off Appa and ran up to Zuko before he could get to far.

"So…what did you think of all this?"

"Which part?"

"All that Katara did?"

Zuko's eyes went wide again as he shook his head slowly. "This past year, every time we faced off, I never knew she was holding back _that much_. Or maybe she just wasn't as angry with me directly, but these last two days? Sokka, I realize now, every time I ever went up against 'Tara- I. Could. Have. Died."

Sokka started laughing, glancing over the nickname Zuko shamelessly gave his baby sister, and focused on the hilarious realization Zuko had come to. Katara was a force to be reckoned with.

"I'm pretty sure that was the first time in 3 years I actually feared for my life. And that's saying something, because someone tried to blow me up once." Zuko marvled, shaking his head in wonder yet again. Never again would he underestimate the feisty and yet somehow soft waterbender ever again.

In his life.

His musings were broken when sokka sobered up, about to comment on the fact that Zuko had survived being assinated, when Aang jumped from the saddle and took off, running down the beach and up onto a dock.

Following his line of running, Zuko spotted the airbender's target.

The shilloutte of Katara sitting on the dock with her feet in the water graced the scenery.

 _Oh no he doesn't._ The prince thought, not realizing he was running in the same direction until his feet hit the wood.

He slowed down and caught up with Aang as he came to a stop a few feet behing the waterbender.

"Katara! Zuko told us what you did…or rather, what you _didn't_ do. How are you doing?"

At least he asked how _she_ was feeling.

"I'm doinig fine." She answered softly, eyes still trained ahead of her.

A few more words passed between them-Zuko wasn't really paying attention- he did catch that she told Aang of her desire to end the man, but other then that, he was focused on how she looked.

There was no doubt that she knew he was there, and yet she just looked calm, at peace almost. Pretty. When she stood and turned around, he saw she still looked angry and tuned into to what she was saying.

"I didn't forgive him. I'll never forgive him…" She turned and locked her eyes onto Zuko's.

He met her gaze head on, staring into her endless blue eyes. They were gorgeous, just like she was, and she was saying something.

"But I am ready to forgive you."

And- shocking the life out of him yet again- she walked up to him and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He was stunned for a split second, thinking she was going to hit him or _something_ , but ended up wrapping his arms around her mid-section.

 _We actually fit together…_ he thought as he subtly squeezed her closer to him. She was soft, and smelled nice. Not like she had just gotten back from a two-day journey of trying to find her mother's killer.

She pulled back, not breaking their eye contact as she smiled and and walked off, letting her hand trail off his shoulder as she left.

He watched her go, wanting to smile and follow after her. She had actually forgiven him! Finaly!

But he remembered who was standing behind him, and turned to address the young Avatar, hopping he didn't notice his teacher's momentary bliss.

Azula helped Toph down off Appa. She then looked down to see Sokka holding out a hand to her.

Hesitently, she took it, ignoring how perfectly their hands seemed to fit together. Once she was off, she just nodded to him and walked off, in serch of a much needed confidant just then.

Then she spotted her.

"Katara." Azula greeted, walking up and surprised the master waterbender by giving her a hug.

Katara reciprocated after a momnet.

"Hey Azula. I trust you kept Toph and Sokka from murdering one another?"

Azula just smiled as she pulled away. "There may be a few brusies. Speaking of," She started, linking her arm with Katara's as they began to follow the others up the beach, "The subject of our brothers needs to be discussed. Amongst us. Tonight."

Katara stopped walking, "Our brothers? Why?"

Azula smirked as she tugged Katara into walking again, "I think you know. We- ah.. ah-"

And out of no where. Azula sneezed.

It would have been funnier, if not for the fact that when she did so, flames shot out of her nose and mouth with such force that it knocked the two benders backward, leaving them to land ungracefully in a tngled heap on the sand.

"What happened?" Zuko asked as he ran up, helping both girls off the ground.

Seeming to harbor absolutely no ill-will towards the prince any longer, Katara started laughing as she pointed to Azula, "Your sister just beat Aang in the worst-sneeze department. I didn't know firebenders sneezed flames!" She started laughing more, watching as Azula rubbed her nose, looking bewildered. Katara didn't realize she was leaning on Zuko for support.

"I didn't know firebenders _could_ sneeze." Azula admitted, sniffing once.

In the Fire Nation, there was a flu that would go around once in a while called the 'summer's flare'. Being from a wealthy and secluded background, Azula had never gotten sick in her life.

There was an incident where Ty-Lee had gotten a nasty case of it one summer. Azula had quarantined herself from the tiny acrobat for a month.

She had never experienced a sneeze before, and found it unpleseant.

"Do people in the Fire Nation not get sick?" Katara asked, standing up and removing her hand from Zuko's shoulder. He had stiffened under her touch at first, but relaxed as she continued to laugh against him. When she stood up he let the arm he had held her up with drop back to his side as she let go of him. No need to push boundries.

"There are some illnesses that make ther way around…but nothing like-that." Zuko said, gesturing oddly to the again sniffiling Azula.

"I'm sure it's just allergies. It is getting to be the 'dry season'." Katara said. She had never experienced said 'dry season' before. In the South Pole, it was always the wet season. But she had heard Toph talking about it every so often. Apparently the small earthbender had allergies that flared up around the same time.

"Allergies…right." Azula said as she re-linked her arm with Katara's and then snatched Zuko's with her other one, leading them both up the path that went from their old private beach to their house.

Once everyone was together again, Zuko released himself from his sister's hold and made his way up the few steps to the door.

He went in easily, the door having been broken by him earlier that month. Apparently, no one had been stupid enough to try and rob the Fire Lord's beach house.

Azula entered after Zuko, eyeing the broken door with little interest until her attention was caught by something else. The entry-way sitting area. She remembered long nights of staying up as a little girl, laughing and playing with Lu Ten and Zuko. She smiled sadly.

Katara entered next, also noticing the door, but saying nothing of it. She glanced around, watching as her new friends slowly walked around-almost as if they were afraid the house would come to life and swallow them.

Toph and Sokka entered, Toph just stood to the side, quietly feeling with her feet the lay-out of the house. Which was a lot bigger then what she would call a 'summer-house' not even her family's was this grand. Then again, they weren't exactly royalty.

"This is nice." Sokka said as he noted all the vast portraits on the walls, some of the Royal family, others of indivisuals that history had forgotten. He noted the sad and dreary atmosphere as soon as he walked in.

"Uh…Who broke your door?" Aang asked from his place in the door-way, rubbing his fingers gently over the splintered wood.

"I did. I didn't have a key." Zuko answered, peering aroung the corner into the large kitchen.

"So, you _have_ been in here since you were a kid." Katara asked.

Zuko shrugged, "Just once, recently. I needed to find stuff to burn."

"Pyromaniac~!" Sokka sing-songed, getting a whack over the head from both Katara and Azula.

"Ow! Hey, Are the rooms this way?" Sooka asked, turning down a corrider opposite of Zuko.

Aang, Toph and Azula followed him, leaving Katara and Zuko standing in the entry. Zuko looked deep in thought as Katara looked around.

She took note of his furrowed eyebrows, the way he seemed to be hunching in on himself-like he wanted nothing more then to just bolt away from this place and never turn back- it was so different from how he usually was. How he usually carried himself. Just so not… _him_.

She walked up to him slowly, not wanting to startle him-he looked troubled and her instincts, motherly or otherwise were kicking in. She gently rested a hand on his shoulder.

His head snapped in her direction, seeing her gentle face put him somewhat at ease, but he still felt the memories of this place putting pressure on his skull.

"Zuko? Are you ok?" Katara asked, Once more capturing his complete attention just by saying his name.

"I'm fine. Just… no one in my family enjoys coming here anymore…" He sighed and walked off to follow the others, leaving Katara staring at him.

"…including you."

/\

Zuko made his way to the front of the group, stepping up next to Azula as they silently showed their friends around.

After they turned down a corridor, went up some stairs and made their way through another sitting hall, Zuko broke the silence. "This is the wing with all the rooms, We can decide who gets which."

"Well, I'll be taking my old room." Azula stated, making her way down to the third door on the left.

Halfway to it, she stopped and looked over her shoulder, debating something.

 _Sokka, Katara? Sokka, Katara?..._

After a moment of watching the group interact in the hallway, she called out, "Katara. You'll be staying in this room." The young firebender said, pointing to the door she was standing in front of. Second door to the left. It was Lu Ten's old room, and right inbetween her own and Zuko's. All three rooms connected from the inside through side doors, just like the rooms on the other side of the hall.

Azula knew for certain that Zuko would also choose his old room. That was his safe haven whenever they were here as children. Placing Katara between the two of them was perfect. She needed to speak to her almost-sister, and she hoped the rooms of her brother and the waterbender being connected would lead to them growing closer somehow.

She single-handedly planned and carried out the infiltration and take over of an entire nation in less then a week. How much harder could getting two enimes now turned friends into a relationship be?

"Oh..um ok?" Katara said unsurly as she walked up to Azula. The firebending prodigy grabbed her friend's hand and pulled her into the room.

"This used to be my cousin's room." Azula explained, walking deeper into it.

Katara nodded, "Lu Ten."

Azula turned to her, raising an eyebrow, "You've heard of him?"

Katara stopped, then looked sheepish, "Oh… no, Zuko told me about him. He…explained, what happened to your mother." Katara said quietly, unsure of how Azula felt about the matter.

Azula crossed her arms, nodding herself. She was mostly focused on the fact that Zuko and Katara had actually spoken about something. The fact that they both shared about their mothers was fantastic! The two were already closer then she had hoped! But she acknowledged instead the second part of what Katara said.

"Ah. He told you the story of dear mother."

"Were you two close? You and your mother?" Katara asked as she sat herself on the bed.

Azula shrugged and joined her. "Zuko was her favorite. I used to be upset that she found me a little monster. But looking back, she was right- I was certainly a handful."

Katara gasped-what mother thinks their child a monster?- then laughed. "You still are a handful, Azula."

The raven haired girl just sighed loudly and dramatically flopped back onto the mattress. "I know, I know! I'm too much for anyone to handle!"

Katara giggled at the Princess' antics. Looks like she really had opened up.

"Well, our whole group is made up of too-much-to-handle people. So I think you fit right in."

"It's quite the change. I've never really had a true friend. Exept maybe Ty-Lee. At least she hasn't gone insane yet." She said, a little down-trodden. She had accepted the fact that she wasn't popular for who she was, but mabe that would change…

As if reading her thoughts, Katara said, "Well, now you do. You have true friend's now, Azula. And from what you were saying earlier, maybe someone who's more then a friend?" Katara said, grinning suggestively.

Azula's eyes went wide as a blush-she was getting used to blushing- came to her face. "I don't know what you're talking about." She said, turning her head away as katara laughed.

"Come on! You said we need to talk about my brother-"

" _Our_ brothers. This involves you and-"

"Settled in yet?" A new voice said from the doorway. The girls looked over to see Zuko leaning against the frame.

"Girl talk, go away." Azula said, chucking a pillow in the young man's direction and turning back to Katara.

Zuko rolled his eyes. He picked up the discarded pillow and tossed it back. "We're going to the market, do you guys want to come?" He felt weird for asking. It was such a common, simple thing to ask. Given how insane all their lives had been, this almost didn't feel real.

Katara and Azula glanced at one another, shrugged and rolled off the bed.

"So, who got what room?" Katara asked Zuko, walking next to him out into the hallway.

He pointed to the room next to hers, "That one's mine. The three of them are connected." He didn't know if he wanted to strangle or hug his baby sister for putting them in this situation-but nonetheless he strived to keep a nutral face.

Katara nodded, ignoring her suspicion of the set up, and listend as he listed off the rest.

"The one across from Azula's was Ozai's old room. Aang took that one." Katara chuckled, noting the irony of that situation.

"The one next to his was our mother's, Toph took that one. And then the one next to it was my grandfather's, Sokka chose that one."

"What about those two?" Katara asked, pointing at the last two rooms on the right side of the hall.

Zuko shrugged, "My uncle's and a guest room."

Azula approached them and crossed her arms, waitng with them for the others.

Sokka had apparently grabbed Katara's stuff off the saddle, because he placed her sleeping roll in her room before joining the trio.

"Hurry up slowepokes! I'm starving and ready for some real food!" Sokka yelled down the hall to the two youngest members of the group.

"Why don't we eat out tonight? It's getting late, and tomorrow we can buy food for the house." Azula suggested, not really feeling up for helping with cooking.

"Yeah? With what money 'Zula?" Sokka asked, earning a strange look from Zuko and Katara at the use of the nickname.

Azula rolled her eyes, "In case you forgot," she slung an arm over Zuko's shoulders, gesturing to him and herself, "You are travling with royalty. We may be traitors, but we still have our father's money."

"Isn't that strange? Using both the Fire Lord's house _and_ money after he just kicked you out of his nation?" Sokka refuted, watching as Zuko shrugged, causing Azula's arm to fall away.

"We're still his kids. If he has resources, I'm all to glad to use them to our advantage. Not like he needs them anyway."

Katara nodded. "It might help us to blend in too. Just a bunch of tourists, eating out after a day on the island?"

Azula touched her chin in thought as Toph and Aang walked up to them, "Hmm. It will be hard to mistake the Prince and Princess of the Fire Nation for tourists…"

Zuko raised an eyebrow, "No it won't. Remember what happened last time we were here? No one knew who we were."

Azula looked at him, "Don't _you_ remember what happened the last time? We burned a Nobleman's house to the ground after his son kicked us out. I'm sure people will still be talking about that."

"Wait, you burned a house down?" Toph asked, more amused then anything.

"We-we all made bad choices- Azula and I just need desgiuses." Zuko said, embarrassed.

Katara and Aang giggled.

"Better get dressed then Hotmen!"

"Stop with the hundred year old slang!" Zuko begged as he and Azula wondered back to their rooms.

Sokka and Katara watched the pair go, not noticing a smirking Toph.

"Why are your heart's beating so fast, you two?" She asked as innocently as she could, causing the pair to blanch and turn to face her.

"W-what?" Katara stammered out as Sokka just shook his head.

"Yeah, I feel it too. Is everything ok?" Aang asked, stepping up to touch Katara's arm.

The waterbender jerked back and shook her head quickly. "I'm fine! We're fine, right Sokka? I feel fine!"

Sokka nodded his head slowly, wondering what the two had meant. He hadn't felt anything different. He had just been focused on Azula walking away, the way she was moving-her hips swaying as sh-

Oh.

 _Oh no._

It couldn't be. Could it? He wasn't even over Suki yet!

 _Or are you?_ A tiny little voice in the back of his head asked. He tried to ignore it, but recalled to mind how he felt after losing Yue. He had bounced back quick then as well.

 _Just test the waters for a while._ He thought to himself.

"Ready to go?" Sokka turned around, coming face-to-face with a hooded Azula. Wow. She looked pretty in that.

 _Or not, just jump right in- who cares if you drown?_

"Yep!" Katara said quickly as she spotted Zuko-also in a hood- emerging from his room.

"Let's go then!" Aang said as he-unthinkingly- grabbed Toph's hand and started dragging her towards the door.

"Twinkle-toes! I can walk on my own!" She protested as she was hualed over the thresh-hold and down the steps.

"Let's go." Azula said, brushing past Sokka.

Katara rushed up to her side, discreetly leaning towards her, "Hey, what you said- about our brothers-"

She was cut off as Aang-who had apparently spotted the town from atop the hill he was on- shouted out to them, "Hey! Are you guys coming, or what!?"

Katara sighed, "Later." She whispered as she hastened to catch up with the youngest of their little family.

/\

The group made their way into town, weaving through the streets of the market they had wandered into.

Sokka was drawn to every booth that was food related, having to be pulled away by either Katara or Azula every few minutes.

"We're trying to find something we _all_ like." Katara reminded him.

Azula looked around from under her hood, spoting a reletivly empty food hall that looked like it was still open.

"This way." She called, not waiting for the others as she dashed off.

"Azul-uh… Ta-Ming!" Katara yelled after her, having hoped to keep everyone together. She almost called out the girl's real name before remembering she and her brother were wanted fugetives in these parts. She just gave her the first name that popped into her head.

"Ta-Ming? She's going to kill you for that one." Zuko said as he walked up beside her.

Katara sighed, walking after her with Zuko, "She shouldn't just bolt off like that…" She seemed to think for a moment, "Oh, and your undercover name is _so_ much better?" She asked, playfully scowling up at the prince.

He was still getting used to her relaxed side, but took it in stride as he said, "She does what she wants. And Lee is what I go by when I'm not me."

Katara nodded. "Look's like we'll have to be her impulse control. And there are millions of Lee's."

Zuko smirked as he entered the small food place with Katara, "That's why it works." They joined Azula, who was seated at the counter, she was looking over one of the menu's resting on top of it.

Without looking up, she said, "Ta-Ming? That's the best you could come up with?"

Katara chuckled, "Sorry- I kind of panicked. You need to take it easy."

"I'm hungry, this place has food. Simple."

Katara raised an eyebrow, "Logical thinking again?"

Azula put down the menu and smirked in her direction, "Of course. What will you be having?"

Katara picked up the menu, sharing it with Zuko.

"What do they have?"

Sokka, Aang and Toph-the later two still linked by the hand- walked in.

Sokka rushed up to Azula's other side, leaning across her to get a better look at what Katara had

"Ooh, let me see!" He reached for it, but Katara pulled it away, pressing into Zuko's side.

"Sokka! Get your own!" She said, pushing further into Zuko.

Azula leaned forward and rested her elbows on Sokka's back, and her chin in her hands, making it hard for him to get up off the counter.

Aang and Toph walked up to them, taking in the scene- Katara and Zuko were pressed together, the former having put her arm over the back of Zuko's shoulders, a menu in her outdtreached hand, apparently trying to get it as far from Sokka as possible. Zuko had his arm around Katara's waist, helping her to stay balanced.

Sokka was laying, sprawled across the counter, as he pouted in defeat, his eyes trained on the menu behind Zuko's head. Azula was leaning on him, her elbows diggining into his spine as she rested her weight on him.

They all-even Sokka at one point- were grinning and laughing. Aang sat down next to Sokka, and Toph sat next to him.

"Can someone read me the menu?" Toph asked no one in particular, waiting to be heard.

Azula glanced at her and snatched another menu from further down the table-one Sokka had been too lazy to grab for- and handed it to Aang.

He skimmed over the options, reading aloud to Toph some of the things he thought she would like.

Katara pulled her arm from around Zuko's shoulders, choosing to instead lean on one of them. He kept his arm across her back, his hand gripping the back edge of her stool. Katara put the menu between them on the counter, allowing them both to read.

"Do they have anything here that _isn't_ spicy?" Katara asked, looking over her options.

"Let me guess, salty sea salt is what your pallete is accustomed to?" Zuko asked teasingly, earning a light shove from the girl leaning on him. They settled back in and continued reading.

"Ugh. Azula? Can I come up now?" Sokka asked, his torso still pressed to the counter, and the firebender's elbows still digging into his spine.

"Hm. I don't know Water _pesant,_ what would I gain from it?"

"Hey-where I come from, I'm actually royalty." The young heir protested, groaning as Azula simply ignored him and read over the menu.

"Wait, really?" Zuko asked from over Katara's head. Sokka lifted up his own-best he could anyhow- and looked at Zuko.

"Yeah. Our dad is the chief, remember? The Fire Lord equivillant. That makes Me a Prince, and Katara a Princess."

Zuko pulled away from the "princess" to look at her.

"You never said you were royalty." He said, more shocked then accusing.

She just shrugged, eyes not leaving the menu. "Must've slipped my mind."

"Wow. Look at us, the five most influencial people in the world, all eating at a Fire Nation resort resturaunt." Toph said nonchalantly, having decided what she was going to order.

Aang thought for a moment, then said, "Five? There are six of us here."

"Oh, right-sorry, I didn't count you. Avatar does not equal money."

Aang just shrugged, "The monks never really used money. We used trading methods."

"I wonder if the Air cities were still around, if they would still be using trading." Azula wondered aloud.

At that moment, a tall male waiter came up to them.

"Ah, what can I get for all these lovely young couples this eveining?"

All six of the teens blanceh, hurridly shoving away from one another;

"We're not a couple!" Katara and Zuko practically shouted simotenously as they sprang apart, Katara locking her arms to her side and Zuko leaning on the counter in the opposite direction.

"I think you're mistaken." Azula replied smoothly as she lifted hersef from Sokka's back, pushing him off the counter.

She had meant to get him back into his seat, but ended up using more force then necessary- in turn causing the young man to yelp as he tumbled to the ground.

"Oops." Azula said, staring down at him while Toph and Aang laughed-to busy doing so to correct their waiter.

Said waiter just stood there with a shocked yet amused expression painted to his features, "My mistake then. What will you all- _seperately_ \- be having?"

With that, the teens ordered.

/\

They finished eating quickly and set on their way back to the summer house, all lounging in the main hall once they arrived, despite having their own rooms to go to.

Time for some fun.

Azula decided to bring up the matter that had caused her to choose a place to eat so quickly earlier that evening. Something Katara had said struck a chord with her, _"We are trying to find something we all like._ " Azula knew she was growing close to these people. But at the same time, they knew next to nothing about one another.

"I think we should play a game." She stated from her perch on the arm of the chair Katara was occupying.

Sokka and Zuko were seated on the floor-sitting on some cushions, with Zuko having his back against Katara's legs and Sokka acrost from him in front of Toph- Toph and Aang shared a love seat.

"A game? Like what?" Sokka asked the same time Aang exclaimed something about liking games.

"Well, I've noticed we are all obviously growing _closer_ ," let them take that as they will, "Yet we know nothing about one another. Mai, Ty-Lee and I liked to play this game when we were younger and still getting to know one another. Never have I ever."

Zuko, upon hearing the name, blanched. Yes, he had played that game with them one too many times. And didn't it involve _drinking?_ He remembered his sister being able to hold her Fire Whiskey quite well when she was just a young teen-he didn't want to know _how_ she aquiered that skill- he, however, got extremely wasted at one point and was sure he would never live down the embarrassment of that particular evening.

"What kind of game is it?" Toph asked with a laugh in her voice, "Sparky's heart just picked up like a Kimmodo-Rihno in a stampede." She continued to laugh.

Azula smirked, "Oh, he knows the game quiet well, don't you, _Sparky_?"

Zuko turned around-ignoring Katara's knees digging into his spine-and glared at his sister. "That night was _your_ fault _entirely._ "

"I'm sure it was actually Mai who suggested the speed-challenge round." Azula recalled, tapping her chin.

"Woah, woah, woah. Back up. How do you play?" Sokka asked, leaning forward.

"The rules are simple," Azula began, "you sit in a circle. Usually the person who initiated the game starts. They make a statement beginning with 'never have I ever' and then they say something they have never done before. If someone in the circle _has_ done it, they take a shot of the offered alcoholic beverage. For example, I would say… 'never have I ever been to the South Pole.' And, those of you in the room that have been would take a shot. The more embarrassing the question, the better. And the person who drank the most after the beverage is gone is the winner. If they know how to hold their alcohol, that is."

"Wait, this a… _drinking game?"_ Aang asked, as if saying the words out loud would get him drunk off his air-scooter.

Toph would have rolled her eyed if she knew how. "Oh come on Twinkletoes. Don't tell me you've never had a drink?"

Zuko raised an eyebrow, "You have?"

Toph shrugged, "I was an only child who wasn't allowed to leave the house-even when my parents went on trips. Who wouldn't take advantage of the endless liquor supply my rich folks had stashed away."

"Toph!" Katara admonished, "That is so irresponsible!...But, I would definitely do the same thing."

"This is insane!" Aang protested, "we have a war to focus on winning, and all you're thinking of is getting drunk?!"

"Not necessarily, it all depends on how well you can hold your drink." Azula added on.

Aang just groaned as Sokka boasted, "I'm about to beat all of you! We have this drink in the South Pole-Moon Water?- That's some of the strongest stuff in the world. And I've had some."

"Some of my crew used to drink that- they would be knocked out for hours- how could you have held it better then them, Sokka?" Zuko asked doubtfully.

Sokka shrugged, "Must be the worrior in me."

"As if!" Katara said, laughing, "Bato gave you one medium flask, you took three gulps, passed out, woke up 20 minutes later and ended up puking on Gran-Gran!" She exclaimed, Azula joined in her laughter at the mental images.

Sokk spluttered, "I-I Was young back then! Ok?! I can hold it much better now, thank you very much!"

"Right." Toph said, the same doubt Zuko had lacing her voice as well.

"Well…You guys go ahead. I don't wanna play." Aang said as he stood.

Protests were heard around the room as he walked off, waving, "No, no. It's alright-I-I'm actually pretty tired." He said, faking a yawn.

The rest just shrugged it off.

"Well then, let's get started- I wanna see who of you sissy's has the most embarrassing backstories to drag up! What kind of alcohol do they got here?" Toph started, enthused.

"I believe our dear parents may have left some Fire Whiskey in the cellar. Zuko, would you please?" Azula asked, Zuko rolled his eyes but stood anyway.

"Ooh! I'll come with!" Sokka volunteered, jumping up as well.

As the boys got the drinks and glasses, the girls made small talk, not wanting to reveal much before the game got started.

Soon, Zuko and Sokka returned, Whiskey and glasses in hand. Sokka took Aang's previous seat as Zuko laid out the game's poision.

"Alright," Azula said once everything wa laid out, "Let's get started."

 **A/N: Wow that was a lot longer then I thought it was, but maybe you all liked it? Let me know! They will be getting into the game next chapter! Stay tuned!**

 **Writer out! ~0-0~**


	21. Why Are We Like This?

**So this is extreamly long overdue- My apologies. I was out of town for a while and then I had to actual finish writing this darn thing- but I got it done, so YAY! A warning- there are some things I have found that I cannot write. Smut is one of them (It makes me uncomfortable to read or write it, so sorry if that was what you were looking for, I just don't do it) Another thing I have found is that, while entertaining, I can't seem to get drunk people just right. I tried it in this chapter, but I am not sure if this is what drunk people really act like (I have no first hand experience) So forgive me if I did not make this wild enough, I like to think it came out ok, but just a heads up that I had no clue what I was doing, hopeffully you like it all the same! Let me know!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I Own None Of It!**

Chapter 21: Why Are We Like This?

Azula was the one to start. She followed her own rule of going light to start out with.

"Never have I ever lived in the Earth Kingdom before."

Everyone groaned and took a drink as she sat there smiling. She may have been there for a while, but to her, living was going to the town or villiage late at night with friends. Trying out different tea shops. Not taking over the entire Nation.

Katara was sitting next to her, so she continued.

"Never have I ever wished I bent another element." She stated, staring at her glass in satisfaction as she saw Zuko, Toph and Sokka take a drink.

"Sokka? You don't bend at all." Katara stated, eyeing her brother for an explanation.

"Exactly! I have wanted to bend another element-any element at all! Besides, this stuff is good." He said, reaching to refill his glass.

Zuko rolled his eyes. He thought for a moment, noticing Azula had still not yet taken a drink. Well. That wouldn't do.

"Never have I ever dressed as a Kyoshi Worrior." He said with a smirk. Azula grumbled but threw back her drink with ease. Zuko's eyes, however, were on Sokka as he also-with slightly more difficulty- downed his third drink.

"uh…Sokka?"

The boy held up a finger, already staring to sway slightly, "Don't wanna talk about it! Toph, You're next."

Toph smirked, being the youngest in the group, she had never experienced anything of the romantic sort just yet, but she knew the others were plenty old enough to have done so. Hog-monkey's surly would fly before she let that chance slip between her fingers.

"Never have I ever been kissed. Not kiss someone, but been kissed _by_ someone."

Every older teen in the room glared at her before drinking.

Seeing their baby sister's down the alcohol, Sokka and Zuko asked, in sync-

"Who kissed you?!"

Azula raised an eyebrow, but just rolled her eyes as Katara blushed.

"I'm a good looking Princess, Zuzu. You should be asking who _hasn't_ kissed me." Azula stated, much to her brother's chargin.

"Katara?" Sokka probed, still staring at the crimson waterbender.

"W-well…There was Jet-"

"JET?!" Sokka and Zuko both choursed, yet again.

Katara shrunk a little in her seat before continuing, "and…Aang."

Zuko tried to not let his body temperature rise too much, but it was getting hard as his mental control was slipping away with each shot he took.

 _So Katara's been kissed. More then once. By different guys. So what, she's pretty, it makes sense. No need to be jealous. None at all."_

Trying to talk himself out of being jealous was not working.

Azula snickered as she sensed the inmistakable feel of a firebender heating up the room with their body heat. It happened quite often to benders who felt strong emotions.

Toph, however, was all to happy to point out the change. "Is it just me, or did it just get like thirty degrees warmer in here?" She smirked again as she felt Zuko shift uncomfortably.

"Ok, so let me get this straight," Sokka said, still trying to wrap his head around the fact that his baby sister no longer had virgin lips, "Both Jet…And Aang have kissed you?"

Katara sighed, nodding. "Yes. They did. Can we move on now?"

Sokka seemed to think for a moment, knowing it was his turn. "We will talk more about this when we are more sober. Never have I ever… Set something on fire!"

"So original." Azula muttered sarcastically as she and Zuko took another drink.

Now that one round was up, about a third of the whisky flask was gone.

Katara and Toph were tied with having only had two drinks. Next was Azula with three, then Zuko and Sokka with four.

Zuko was doing ok, he had played this before, mind you and had no trouble drinking. His uncle had let him drink from the time he was banished-though he never really took advantage of it, he was focused on things he deemed more important. But he knew how to survive.

Sokka was a bit worse for wear, he was leaning to the side, his eyes becoming a bit bleary.

Azula was fine, long nights of playing this game with Mai and Ty-Lee had led to a spectacular tolorence level, but she wasn't about to get cocky- she knew her limit.

Katara was also holding up well. She had never really drank much, but she knew that waterbenders always had higher tolorence levels. If need be she could bend everyone in this room sober with just a flick of her wrist.

Toph-having been the sneaky child she was- knew how to drink, not only thanks to getting ahold of her parents stash when they were away, but some of the servants around her estate would play games like ths with her when her parents were gone. Needless to say, she also had a good tolerance level.

Only poor Sokka was going to have a rough time least his sister have mercy on him by the end of the night.

"Me again. Time to dig a little deeper. Never have I ever nearly killed someone."

"What?" Katara asked, looking to the girl beside her.

Azula looked right back, "We are in a war. It's possible for accidents to happen. I personaly have never killed anyone, but perhaps I have come close."

Katara just shook her head. She shifted her legs a bit, making Zuko move slightly in the process as they both took a drink.

She thought back to the last two days she had spent with him. Those men they had encountered certiantly counted, right?

Toph left her glass alone, sure she had ruoughed a few people up, but she never had to check for any vitals.

Sokka also left his glass alone, he had never really hurt anyone, not to that point anyway.

Then again, thre was Combustian Man…

Before he could make up his mind, Katara spoke. " Never have I ever…" She looked to Azula. Ooh this was going to be good. "Had a crush on someone who was once considered the enemy."

Azula, Sokka and Zuko all blanched.

Like she predicted, Azula took a drink, slower then she had downed the others. What she was not expecting was to see her brother and the firebender resting against her legs to also take a drink.

She didn't want to think about any implications just then. This was just to tease Azula. And maybe Sokka, now that she thought about it-who knew, maybe Sokka was drinking for Azula?- But she was not clear headed enough to deal with any Zuko related revelatios.

She willed curiosity not to get the best of her. Who could it be? An Earth Kingdom girl he met in Ba Singe Se? Someone he met on his travles? Hersel-

No.

Nope.

No, not going there right now, won't even consider…no-nope!

Azula was also trying to reing in her curiosity. So, the young Water tribesman had had a crush on somone in the Fire Nation-where else would they be from, the Fire Nation was everyone's enemy right now.- Was it her? Ty-Lee maybe? The bouncy acrobat had taken an interest in Sokka before, but could that be it?

Zuko, not wanting to be questioned, quickly moved on, "Never have I ever been arrested before."

"Does getting captured by your pirate buddies count?" Sokka asked, recalling the time when he had been shot down with a net thrower after Katara had stolen that waterbending scroll.

Zuko thought for a moment, "I had no jurisdictional authourity there, neither did they, so…no?"

Azula shook her head, wanting to hear that story at a later date.

Katara and Toph took a drink. They were about to let it go when Katara spoke up, tapping Zuko's head. "Hey-you were imprisioned too, remember. You have to take a drink."

Zuko was confused for a split second before he remembered. Ba Sing Se. Had he been more in his right mind, he would have noticed this was the first time she had brought up their imprisionment together without any malice or distaste. She was only bringing it up to beat him at a game.

"Oh..Right." He took his drink, knowing he was going to hate himself in the morning at this point.

Next up was Toph. The older teens were secretly dreading what she would ask, so far she had proved ruthless in her questioning.

The small earthbender smirked. "Never have I ever let a tweleve year old girl play a drinking game."

"Hey-you co-uh-ould have walke-ed out with Aa-ang." Sokka slurred, even as he threw back another glass.

Azula shook her head-then regretted it imediently as it rattled her fuzzy brain. She dutifully took another drink, reaching for the almost-empty whiskey flask.

"I can help everyone sober up later, i-if you want to.." Katara giggled as she too took another drink. Waterbender or not, now she was starting to feel the effects.

"Please tell me this is the last round." Zuko practically pleaded as he took a drink.

Toph just smirked, "We have a bit left to go, and we haven't even gotten to the good stuff yet!"

"I got o-one!" Sokka yelped as he tried to slyly smile at the group, "Have I never ever lost my virginity."

Zuko's face grew red, and he hoped he could pass it off as the effects from the drink. He sheepishly took another drink.

Katara raised an eyebrow, but said nothing as she stared at the back of his head.

Azula gasped- far too loud, as she asked with a slur herself, "Zuzu…who's the poor victim?" She giggled as Katara snorted next to her, her laughter shaking her whole body and jostling Zuko.

Zuko shook his head, "N-no one." He said, stuttering more out of embarrassment then being drunk.

Azula leaned over to Katara and whispered-again, far too loud- "I bet it was Mai. They were a thing, you know."

Katara knew that, but still she felt her heart rate pick up for some reason she had no explination for.

At this point, Toph was in the lead, having only gotten 3. Katara and Azula were tied with 5. Sokka had 6 and Zuko 9.

Needless to say Zuko and Sokka were not feeling their best at that time.

"Ok… last round." Azula pushed on.

"Ugh. Katara, I'm taking you up on your offer." Zuko groaned, leaning his head back aginst her knees.

She smiled down at him-a smile he had never seen on her before. "Don't worry- I would have done it without consent anway." She said as she begn trailing her fingers through his hair. She hadn't even realized she was doing it, wether that be from her foggy head or just because it felt so natural. Some level of her subconscious was telling her this was just… _right_.

Azula started giggling again, this time joined in by Toph-though Toph's laughing was a bit more stable-sounding- as they observed the two.

Sokka ddin't even notice what was going on, he was so out of it.

"Ok, ok. Never have I ever pulled an all-nighter." Azula said giddily. Her sober-self was going to slap her for acting like this, but oh well.

"How is that embarrassing?" Toph asked, not touching her drink. She had been hoping to get a bit more trashed then this, but whatever- she would live with laughing over how her friends were making idiots of themselves.

Azula shrugged, "I dunno. Just so we can learn more. About each other!"

"I'm sure everyone in here has pulled an all-nighter. Thanks to you actually." The little girl rebuttled.

"Guess I have to drink as penalty then." Azula said, sloppily reaching for her drink again.

"Me n-ow?" Katara asked sluggishly, her nails still raking across Zuko's scalp. He gave a hum of acknowledgement, and she thought for a second.

"Ooh, never have I ever slept all day."

"Does doing so because you're sick count?" Zuko asked from her lap, she shrugged in a 'if-you-want-it-to' sort of way and he reached for his drink.

Azula also did. She was catching up to Sokka and she could feel her inner-fire raging at the fule. She would probably end up breathing fire on accident at some point. That thought alone made her start giggling agin, this time uncontrlably.

Katara raised an eyebrow, "What's-so funny?" The waterbender asked, slurring her words together.

Azula waved a hand, trying to catch her breath from her giggle-fit. "N-noth-hing haha."

Katara shrugged and tapped Zuko's skull again, "Hey sparky-you're-e yup- up!"

Zuko opened his eyes, his vision was slightly blurred, so he just shook his head.

"Um…never have I ever…Learned bending from the masters of my bending form."

"Ha! Non-benders rule!" Sokka yelled, pumping a very wobbly fist in the air.

"That's not fair-Wait! You have to drink too, Zu-zuzu. You were with us." Azula said smugly, or she tried to seem smug, but her smirk was too wide and kind of crooked.

Zuko sighed and reached for his glass again.

Azula and Toph also took a drink.

Katara thought for a moment, "I learned from like…3..4 and a half different masters- do I still count?"

Azula grabbed Katara's glass and shoved it into the other girl's face, "mmm sure does, drink up 'Tara."

Katara took the glass. "Tara? Where'ded you get that one…"

Zuko leaned his head back against her knees again. "I called you that…after I dropped you off here."he said, pointing at the ground.

Katara giggled, "Tha's cute of y-you." She slurred, and-not knowing what she was doing- bent down and sloppily kissed his forehead.

Azula really started laughing while Katara just giggled after sitting up straight again. Zuko was just frozen.

"Alright love birds- my turn." Toph stated, "Never have I ever danced with Twinkletoes before."

The little earthbender smirked as she felt Zuko and Katara take another shot. She just hoped Katara would be able to bend them all back to normal after this.

"Last question-es!" Azula shouted, looking to Sokka.

Sokka took a deep breath, then, "Never has I ever liked someone from the Fire Nations. Like _that._ "

Part of Katara was warning herself that this would come back to bite her, but she had to do it. She lifted her glass and took a shot, watching out of the corner of her eye as Zuko and Sokka-why was he doing this? It was his question- did the same.

So, Zuko liked someone from the Fire Nation.

Whyyyyyyy did she care again? Did she just take a shot- stupid brain, why?!

Azula gasped, "Katara I knew you loved me!" The Princess said, throwing herself at Katara in a drunken, joking manner, placing sloppy kisses on the waterbender's cheek.

Katara giggled as she let Azula maul her, falling over slightly. In the process, she got one of her legs out from behind Zuko's back, and ended up hooking her knee over his shoulder. He grabbed her calf to steady her. She in turn, grabbed his head to anchor herself.

Toph began giggling, saying something about winning, while Zuko shook his head at Sokka.

"You loose Sokka. You even _look_ drunk."

Sokka held up a finger, "I'm not as think you drunk I am."

Unbeknownst to the inerberated group, the young Avatar was watching them.

They wanted to play a game? Fine.

They wanted to laugh and have a good time with out him? Fine.

But he wasn't going to watch as they drank their logic away.

And a small prank wouldn't hurt.

He knew Katara could heal them from their state and that deep down, even drunk, Katara would sober up enough to do it.

They would all thank him for this later.

Sneaking outside, just outside a window, he bent a large bout of air and fire together. He created a writhing ball of energy and aimed it at the ground.

The desiered effect was achived as a large blast sounded upon impact.

He peeked in the window, watching as his friends froze, looking around for the sorce of the noise.

As predicted, Katara snapped to her senses and bent up some water from a nearby vase.

She -shakily at first- ran the glowing blue water over her head and body, freeing herself of it's toxins. Aang nodded to himself and directed another blast at the ground, this time with a tad more force.

Katara sped up, grabbing Azula's head and giving her the same treatment. Once the Princess was fixed, she shook her head and looked around as if waking up in an unframiliar place.

"What was that?" She asked Katara, who had moved onto Zuko.

"I don't know." She replied once she was done with the Prince.

"We better find out. Mai might be back." Zuko said, standing up in a perfectly fine condition.

Katara nodded and continued onto Toph. But the Blind earthbender shook her head, "'m fine- I told you all I would win." She stated, grinning.

Katara roled her eye's but encased the small girl's head in water anyway. "We're not taking any chanses! Azula, go find Aang!"

Azula nodded and ran off. Zuko headed off to his room to get his swords.

Katara made her way over to her brother.

"No! I…don't n-need your magic water!"

Katara grunted as Sokka roughly pushed her away by the shoulders. "We don't have time Sokka!" She yelled at him, forcefully grabbing his head.

Once his mind was clear, he frowned. "Sorry Katara." He said somewhat sheepishly.

She just smiled as he stood, "Well, you did better then puking this time!"

"Ha. Ha. C'mon we better check this out!" He said, just in time for another blast to go off.

Azula reached the bottom of the stairs, panting. Zuko was right behind her.

"Aang isn't in his room!"  
"No." Katara said, dread slowly filling her up.

Zuko was at her side in an instant. He laid a hand on her shoulder.

"He might be outside already." Katara just nodded and hastily followed him out the door with the others trailing behind.

Well, others minus Toph, who was still sitting, "uh…guys?" She was able to see past the door and knew exactly what was happning.

None of the older teens listened-already in too much of a panic. Together, they burst out the door-

To find Aang rolling around on the ground, laughing.

This went on for a few moments as the older teens tried to piece toether what was happning.

Then, Zuko grabbed Aang by his tunic and hoisted him off the ground. The younger boy immediently stopped laughing upon seeing his teacher's face.

"What's going on?!" Zuko demanded, not letting go of Aang.

"uh…gotcha?"

Azula, Katara and Sokka collectivly groaned.

"That's it! I'm getting drunk again!" Sokka stated, turning on his heel and stalking back into the house. Azula was tempted to join him, but decided she would have to deal with a naughty student first.

"Aang," Katara began, admonishing, "What were you thinking? We thought we were under attack. Then when we couldn't find you, we thought something had happened! We were all panicking!" She ended up shouting.

"Not me!" Toph piped up, sticking her face through one of the windows. "I saw it a mile away."

Azula rolled her eyes. "Regardless, I must agree with my counterpart-what were you thinking young one?"

Aang gulped, knowing that if Azula was starting to sound like a mother, then he definetly screwed up.

Zuko-who was still holding him by his tunic- gave him a little shake and raised his eyebrow.

Aang sighed and hung his head. "I just…Saw you guys drinking. I've never seen any of you like that. It was ridiculous! We're in a war and you guys are-"

"Trying to ease the pain of that truth a little." Azula cut him off.

Katara sighed and stepped towards the two boys. She grabbed Zuko's shoulder and squeezed, letting him kow it was ok to drop their student. When he did so, they both stood there looking at him.

Aang had never known what it felt like to have disappointed parents until that point.

Zuko sighed, "Let's just go to bed. Just for this- you're getting up extra early tomorrow."

Aang nodded and reluctantly followed his teachers back into the house.

/\

"What are you doing?" Zuko asked as Sokka ducked into the firebender's room after the youngest of the group had gone to bed.

"Our sisters are in the next room. I want to know what they are talking about."

"Probably just boring girl stuff. Or what they plan to do after taking over the world." Zuko muttered, going back to hanging his swords up on the wall.

Sokka scoffed and moved along the wall, looking for cracks and holes he could see through.

He laughed lightly when he found one. Looking through, he found it was covered by something- a picture maybe. Unfazed, he put his ear up to it to try and hear better.

He heard 'Zuko' and, 'My brother' a few times, but nothing more then that.

"Told you, nothing interesting." Zuko said as he settled on his bed with one of the old scrolls from his book case.

Sokka grumbled, but brightened a little when he peeked through the hole again- seeing that someone had moved whatever was in the way.

Succsess!

Which was short lived, when he heard Azula say something about peeping, and then something was being jammed into his eye socket.

The Water Tribesman yelped and reeled backwards, Zuko looked up and started laughing as he watched Sokka fold over, cradling his eye.

He laughed even more when Sokka opened the door, revealing their sisters-he tried to ignore that Katara was wearing next to nothing- who were standing there with their arms crossed.

"I wasn't 'peeping' I was eavesdropping!"

Azula rolled her eyes and said something more, then the girls were gone and Sokka was left rubbing his eye and glaring at a still chortling Zuko-who had ended up on the floor.

"That's what you get." He said after he had caught his breath.

Sokka just huffed and sank to the floor next to Zuko.

"I was trying to figure out if they were talking about the game."

"What about it?" Zuko asked, sitting up against the bed.

"Despite being drunk off my boomerang- I rememeber what I asked. Never have I ever like someone from the Fire Nation? Katara took a drink. Katara said, never have I ever liked someone who was once an enemy. Azula took a drink…And so did you."

"Er…right, well."

"You like my sister." Sokka stated matter-of-factly. Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Who doesn't? But you can't judge. Despite the fact that this makes me question your sanity, I know you like Azula."

"Woah woah woah! I'm not jumping into anything just yet…I think. But no. I'm not judging. Ever since we left home, Katara's been drawing the attention of just about every guy we meet. And yes, it's annoying and my big brother instincts love to take over sometimes. But back home? She would be engaged already."

Zuko nodded. That's how it was with royalty in the Fire Nation also, they were usually promised from birth in marriage. He and Azula somehow never got that. Not that he minded. Now he was free to choose who he wanted to marry. And he had his eyes on someone already…

"And the both of them might like the both of us…We could be brother-in-laws!" Sokka shouted excitedly.

Zuko just shook his head. "You do realize that if we all got married, it would look like one big political agreement, right?"

"Better wait till we kick your dad's butt for any wedding's then."

Zuko just nodded.

"Well, I'm going to bed before this can get awkward. Night!"

Zuko waved the other boy away, his thoughts turning over in his head for the rest of the night.

/\

"So," Azula said once Aang and Toph were asleep, "You kissed Zuzu."

Katara dropped her blue toga to the ground. She had been changing into her sleep wear-she didn't mind Azula being in the room, back home all the women took baths together while they gossiped in steam-filled huts. Azula didn't really care either, she just wanted to address the issue of her brother and new best friend.

"What!? When?"

"You don't remember?" She asked, sitting on Katara's bed, "It was right after his question. I called you Tara, you asked where I came up with that, Zuko said he said it first, you called it cute and kissed him."

Katara scoffed as she pulled off her tights and folded them on top of her toga, "Yeah. On the forehead. So?"

"So I was right. You like him." Azula stated triumphantly.

Katara dropped her clothes to into the large dresser in the corner of the room, "Um-has Sokka introduced you to cactus juice? I don't like Zuko. Not like that anyway." Despite her words, her face was heating.

 _You're not lying, you're not lying, you're not lying._

Her little mantra wasn't helping her blush.

"Well, then why did you take a drink when your brother asked about liking someone from the Fire Nation?"

 _Crap!_

Katara scoffed, "Please. For all you know, I could be talking about Master Piandao. Or uncle. Or your dad! Or you!"

With each suggestion, Azula's face slowly morphed into a look of pure horror. "Ok, one-I can see the appeal with Piandao, if you like older men. Two, creepy. Three-no, please no! I would rather we loose to my father then have you interested in him. And four- well, I'm flattered but I can see right through it. You like my brother. Plain and simple."

Katara turned to the firebender, "You are wrong."

"Stop denying it love! You don't just kiss someone-and then drink to that sort of question-and say you don't really have feelings for them."

"We were drunk, and it was just on the forehead. I kiss my friend's faces all the time! Watch-"

Without warning, Katara grabbed Azula's head and smashed her lips against the girl's forehead.

Azula flailed for a second-the last person that kissed her forehead was her mother- then patted Katara's shoulder before shoving her away, "Ugh! Ok I get it! …Are you wearing my perfume?"

Katara giggled, "I found it in the sitting hall-It's nice."

Azula rolled her eyes as Katara sunk onto the bed beside her, "Right. Back to the subject-"

"I do not like Zuko like that!" Katara said, enunciating each word.

"We are in a safe place you know. I'm sure no one can hear us."

Katara glanced at the door leading to the Prince's room and smirked, "You know, if it's such a 'safe place' I'm sure you wouldn't mind opening up about my brother."

Azula's fair skin whitened even further, "W-what?"

"So, you like my brother." Katara stated, giving her best imitation of Azula.

"No. Not a chance."

"There is no use in dynining it Azula. Us girl's pick up on this sort of thing you know."

"You're right, we do. That's how I know you have feelings for my brother. Drunken or otherwise!"

"Well you-"

Katara was cut off when Azula put a finger to her lips.

"Azula, what-" Katara tried to talk around the girl's finger, but was shushed.

Azula had her head down, as if listening to something. "The walls have ears." She said as she slowly moved from the bed to a small portrait hung on the wall that Katara had not noticed before.

Azula removed the sheer canvas from the wall, revealing a peephole. Azula turned back to Katara and waved her over. Katara slid off the bed and quietly made her way over.

Azula sighed and said in a louder voice, "I thought we have been through this Zuzu. Peeping is rude." With that, she jammed her finger into the little hole. Katara was surprised to hear a pained yelp come from the other side of the wall.

"Wait, that sounded like-"

The door opened to reveal Sokka rubbing his eye, and Zuko rolling off his bed in laughter in the background.

"I wasn't 'peeping' I was eavesdropping!"

"And how is that any better?" Azula asked, crossing her arms.

Zuko was trying to pick himself up off the floor, but failed each time a new wave of laughter took over.

Katara laughed along with him, but threw her hands in the air, "That's it! I'm sleeping in Azula's room! Goodnight!"

Azula just shook her head, closed the door and put the canvas back on the wall. She stripped down to her scarlet red wrappings, much like Katara and followed the waterbender back to her own bedroom. Just like old times, when she would have sleep overs with Mai and Ty Lee.

She found herself missing those days as she lay next to her sister.

She couldn't help whispering, right before she drifted to sleep,

"You like him."

"Well, you like Sokka."

Neither denied it as they fell asleep.

 **So there we have it! As always, please let me know what you thought- I love reading what you guys have to say, it really helps when you leave feedback! And it is great to be back! I'm hoping to get the ext chapter up soon, you won't have to wait too long! That's it for now, Later Lovelies!**

 **Writer Out! ~0-0~**


	22. Sick Day, Twisted Night

**A/N: Guess who's back! Here is the next chapter, it took me a surprisingly long time to get into the rythm of this one, but once I found it, BAM! I'm really happy with how it turned out, this is the last filler chapter before we get back to the more plot-y stuff for a while. Let me know what you think of this one!**

 **DISCLAIMER: NONE OF IT IS MINE I TELL YOU!**

Chapter 22: Sick Day, Twisted Night

Azula was sick.

Ther was no way around it. She had never been sick in her life and now she could finally say she had the experience.

It was not a good one.

Katara had awoken the morning after their drinking game, ready to start her chores and training Aang. She remembered having crashed in Azula's room due to the peephole situation. She would really have to get that checked out. Then again, payback was in order. And a peephole did go a way-

Katara's thought process was violently cut off when Azula- who had been sleeping moments before hand- shot awake and started coughing her lungs up.

Katara sat up and put a hand on her friend's shoulder. She then got worried when Azula began smoaking. Literally.

A dark, ashy substance was billowing from the girl's mouth each time she opened it to cough.

Katara's first instinct was to grab for water-and then possibly douse Azula's face- but she remembered having left her water-skins in her room. She groaned.

Azula's coughing had died down slightly, and she was left just sitting there, drowsily taking labored breaths and breathing out ash.

"Stay here, I'm going to get my water."

The waterbender wasted no time in dashing from one room to the next.

She didn't think she was making much noise, but apparently she was, if Toph and Zuko both bursting into her room at the same time yelling "What happened?" was any indication.

Katara turned to Zuko, "Azula is sick."

The firebender stood, dumbfounded for a moment. "…what?"

Katara, who was thinking about the poor Princess all alone and miserable in the next room, sighed and repeated, "Azula-your sister? She woke up coughing smoke."

Toph was already on her way to the next room. Zuko growled something under his breath and made his way to his sister's room as well. Katara grabbed her water-skins and followed.

Upon hearing someone enter her room, Azula looked up from her place under the mountain of a comforter she had arranged over herself. She was sweating like she was trying to fill a bath house, and she could feel her head was filled with something other then just her sharp wit.

Toph had climbed onto the bed-not that Azula noticed, she was too busy trying to stay conscious- while Zuko just stood there, staring at his baby sister. He had never seen her skin that white.

Katara ran into the room without looking where she was going, and into an anchored Zuko. She griped his shoulder as she passed him, making her way to Azula.

"She's not shivering, that's good. This heat must be good for her. It looks like she has a fever, though."

Zuko snapped out of his stupor and walked up next to Katara. "Shivering?"

"Yeah-you know," She gave off an example shiver, looking to Zuko. "What happens when you get too cold? You must have been shivering like crazy when you were dragging Aang through the tundra in the North Pole."

"I didn't know that's what it was called. Fire Nation people don't…Shiver."

Katara shrugged and pulled up her water-skins. She went to uncork them before Toph stopped her.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Sweetness."

"What? Why not? I can help her if she's sick. I can heal her."

"Let's face it. You won't be here everytime one of us gets sick. Let her fight this on her own, it will make her immune system stronger and less vulnerable to sickness later. If you heal her now, it will just hurt her in the long run."

"Where did you learn that?" Zuko asked as he sat down next to her, putting a hand to Azula's forehead, he winced when he felt how warm she was.

"I've had the flu a few times myself. My parents refused to let healers see me. They wanted me to have a stronger system. Something about compensating for being too 'weak and fragile and tiny'" She answered, mimicking her father.

Katara sighed and dropped her water-skins. "Well. The least we can do is make her comfortable. We don't have time for any of us to get sick. The sooner she gets over this, the better." She sat by Azula, seeing that the girl had her golden eyes open slightly.

"Hey Azula. How are you feeling?"

"Like that hangover caught up with me anyway." Her voice was scratchy and hollow, her eyes had lost their brightness- but definetly not their fire.

"Can you still bend?" Zuko asked. Back when the Summer's Flare broke out, some benders got weak enough to temperaraly loose their bending.

Azula answerd by lifting a finger, lighting a small blue flame at the tip.

Zuko nodded, smiling softly.

At that moment, Sokka burst in.

"Hey! Where did everyone-" He stopped short as he caught sight of Azula on the bed. "…What's wrong?"

He rushed over to her side, taking in her watered-down appearance.

If Azula had been healthy enough to think straight, she would have hidden under the blanket like a child. She was sure she looked less then pleasant right now and did not want Sokka seeing her like that.

But of course, all she could do was lie there and feel like crap.

"Azula got sick. Somehow." Katara explained, running her hand over the girl's sweaty hair.

Toph sighed, "She got it from me. I was sick a few days ago. I stayed in my earth tent all day, but I guess she got it anyway."

Zuko ruffled the earthbender's bed head. "Don't sweat it. She'll be fine. She just needs to rest."

Azula herself was dimly aware of people surrounding her. Her battle against whatever it was that was in her system was taking all of her strength. Bending that little plume of fire usually would have been nothing, but this time it had taken a lot out of her.

She was aware someone was running fingers through her hair, and the effect soothed her into a warm and heavy sleep.

The small group decided that even though one of them was sick, training Aang was still important. Toph and Zuko gave him his usual lessons while Katara and Sokka watched over the bed-ridden Princess.

Katara was glad to see that she seemed to be improving over the day, her breathing was getting stronger and she seemed more comfortable in her skin everytime she fell in and out of consciousness.

Such a moment was now, the Princess was waking up.

"Hey there." Katara said softly, recalling how she had spoken to all the infirm patients she visited as the Painted Lady. "Do you need anything?"

Azula looked around the room blerirly. She noted the sun had long since risen and was now making it's downwards decent. She swallowed dryly.

Wincing, she spoke as loudly as she could-which was nothing more then a whisper. "Water."

Katara smiled as she uncorked one of her water-skin's and brought it to Azula's mouth. Azula had the wakefulness to feel slight embarrassment- she felt like a baby that couldn't properly feed herself- but Katara didn't seem to mind. It appeared as though she had done this sort of thing before.

Sokka and Zuko came in then, Sokka carrying a bolw of rice for the Princess.

"Hungry?" He asked as he sat on the bed next Azula. She took one look at the bowl and physicaly felt her stomach turn. She grimced and shook her head.

"No? ok." Sokka set the food on the bed side table and streatched out on the length of the matress.

Azula mustered up enough strength to string together a question, "Won't you all get sick if you're near me?" She rasped, pushing away from Sokka slightly, even though she wanted to stay close to him.

Zuko shrugged, "We'll be fine. Aang and Toph went back to the market to get some food. Aang said there were some sort of vitimins you could take to strengthen your system against this kind of thing. The Air Nomads used them a lot."

"Besides," Sokka added, "I'd rather hang out with a sick Azula then do chores any day!"

Words of agreement came from the other two in the room and Azula felt warmth from something other then her fever filling her up. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt like this, like people actualy cared for _her_. She smiled a little, feeling the warmth in it's whole, and the warmth that came from those around her. She allowed her illness to pull her into something like sleep.

She was balancing on the edge of the conscious and unconscious worlds, like walking one of those tightropes Ty Lee favored. She felt soft. Aloft. And the sound of someone's voice telling a story filled her hazy mind.

It was her brother's voice. That much she could decipher through the blur of her own mind. The words weren't sharp, had no distinct shape or form, just sounds melding into one another. Yet she still saw with dreamlike clarity the words he spoke forming pictures, like a live play in her mind. His story turning into her dream.

 _They are small, she and her brother. To small to comprehend anything around them, yet they understand that they have one another. She is barely a year old. She see's his baby face, small and bright and full of child-like life and light. He is grinning down at her as a figure, cloaked in a blurry maroon color stands above him. A soft vibration fills the room as the figure speaks. She doesn't understand what is being said, but Zuko does. He looks up at the blurred out figure, nodding along to the vibrations that make sense to him. Then he is looking down at her again, smiling softly. Clumsily, he leans down-seeming to hang from the arms of the figure- and places a tiny kiss over her left eye. He is pulled back, away. She sees her own tiny, infant hands reaching out, wanting him back but lacking the comprehension and vocabulary to say so._

 _The figure is back, still blurred out in the face, but she can make out certain features, long dark hair. A shade of gold shining down on her. Soft, warm fingers run over her chubby cheek, and she grasps at them with a strength she doesn't yet know how to control._

 _And for the first time in her life, she laughs._

/\

Zuko finishes telling about the first time he remembers meeting his baby sister. Katara and Sokka look at her sleeping form, a light and peacful look on her face.

"It's starnge to think of you two as babies. I bet you were so cute!" Katara gushed, turning to a now blushing Zuko.

"Yeah…we grew up fast. She was throwing balls of fire in no time." He smiled as he pulled the blanket tighter around her.

At that time, Aang and Toph rush back in, some strange looking vials and some fire gummies in tow.

"Just in time!" Sokka says quietly, but with all his usual food-related excitement as he snatches the gummies away from Aang.

"Hey! Oh! Sorry." Aang exclaimed before remembering the sleeping Princess not three feet from him.

"How is she doing?" Toph asked as she reclaimed her space on Azula's bed. She handed a vial to Katara, who began reading the lable.

"She just fell asleep." Sokka said, tucking a stray piece of hair behind Azula's ear. She murmered something in her sleep and burrowed further into the covers.

"Here, Toph," Katara said, bending some of the liquid from the vial out and up to the girl's face. Toph huffed-she could drink it on her _own_ thank you- but opened her mouth anyway. Katara continued dealing out the liquid to each member of her mix-matched family.

"Azula can have the rest when she wakes up again." She glanced out the window, seeing the sun had set fully and only light purple groups of light remained as the sky gradually darkened. The moon was shining brightly overhead, and she felt that warm energy thrumming through her. Zuko was right, she rose with the moon.

"I'm going to go practice my bending for a bit. I'll be back soon to make dinner. Give Azula the vitamin if she wakes up." She used Zuko's shoulder as a support to lift herself from the bed.

She got warnings to be safe and to saty out of sight as she left the room.

The rest of the gang stayed with the sick Princess, watching as she sweat out the impurities in her body, slowly but surely getting better.

Katara spent a good hour after sundown practicing, going through her forms and moves with a grace only known by a master. Little did she know a certain firebending master was silently watching over her from the large window in his room, entranced by the beauty of her movments. And kicking himself for how stupid he had been for not joinging her and her family sooner.

The gang as a whole was unaware of the events taking place just a few hours away, in the heart of the Fire Nation capital…

/\

Fire Lord Ozia, Mai found, was a very impatient man.

By the time she had gotten back from the Air temple, settled back into the Fire Nation, and was alerted of his summons, he had been impatiently awaiting her arrival in his throne room for over five hours.

She entered, making her way to the up-raised dias. She bowed low to the dark figure shillouetted in flames before her, waiting for him to address her presence.

"Lady Mai," He finally drawled, allowing her to rise. "You took your time." He was upset, she could tell. She didn't really care. He had promised her something if she took up this job for him, and she was here to make sure he would be ready for her to collect when the time came.

She sighed, "Your children put up more of a fight then we anticipated. They got away."

The Fire Lord growled, "I see that. You failed."

"There's still time. You gave me until the comet. I plan to deliver."

"You better. Your life and the lives of your loved ones are hanging on your ability to complete this task. And you know what I promised you in return for thier heads on silver platters."

Mai nodded slowly, "My family's promotion. The lives of my loved ones. And…" She hesitated. She had never cared for titles, never cared that she had everything she wanted. It made her bored. But she couldn't deny the appeal of his last offer in return for the lives of his children, the power it would bring her, "and the title of Fire Lord."

"Do not forget that you are a last resort. I can have you replaced easily. However, if you wish to be the one ruling this contry at the end of this war, then I suggest you do as told and remember your place. You failed this time, but I will let it pass. Time is on our side. But if you do not have what I want by the time we are through, then it is _your_ head that will be hanging on my wall. Are we clear on that matter, Lady Mai?"

Mai took a shuddering breath. "Yes, my Lord."

She would not fail again.

She would be Fire Lord.

 **Whatcha all think of that ending? Let me know! Love hearing from you guys- seriously I get so happy, you guys are so sweet (And thanks for sticking with me this whole time!) Leave a reveiw letting me know what you think! Catch ya on the next one!**

 **Writer, out! ~0-0~**


	23. Spoof Pt1

**A/N: Wow! I'm late- my bad, here have a chapter!**

Chapter 23: Spoof Pt.1 _  
_

Azula was feeling much better. After Katara had returned from her bending practice that night, she had gently awoken the still sleeping firebender and gave her the rest of the vial's contents. After a few hours her fever was broken completely and she was able to rest soundly for the night.

Katara had slept in her own borrowed room that night-making sure the canvas on the wall was still in place and covering the peephole- and woke up the next morning, ready to start the daily grind.

"Morning." Azula said as Katara entered the dining area. The Princess was reading over some scroll she had found in her shelves-an old report of her training and academic achivments from the Fire Nation Academy for Girls- whilst resting against the low-sitting table where they usually ate.

"Hey. Looks like you're doing better today." Katara commented off-handedly as she started opening up drawers and cabinets in search of the utensils she would need for making breakfast.

"I have a strong immune system, apparently." Azula muttered as she continued reading through the scroll.

"No sickness shall stop the great Princess of the Mighty Fire Nation!" Toph claimed, appearing in the doorway. Feeling the position said Princess was sitting in, and practically smelling the focus rolling off her, she asked, "Whatcha reading, Zappy?"

Azula groaned and dropped the scroll. "Some old schooling reports from my early years." She explained, pushing her fingers into her forehead in exasperation. Toph plopped down next to her.

"That bad?"

Azula rolled her eyes, "I'm just now finding that my teachers had no idea as to why my fire is blue. The Fire Lord told me it was because of my skill set, it was a gift or something like that. But it would appear he only told me that to do what he does best, lie about something to make either himself or his lineage look more impressive." Azula scowled. How had she never caught that? Of course no one would know where this blue fire came from- it was unheard of. And of course Ozai would only take it as an opportunity to show how unique and talented his offspring was. Flattering, but she thought he _knew_ where it had come from. Now it was just a mystery.

" _Blue_ fire?"

"Huh? Oh… my fire is at a higher level of intensity then Zuko's, so it looks different. At least that's what I've been told this entire time."

"Why is this coming up just now?" Katara asked from the kitchen, not pausing in her work as she spoke.

"This old scroll is from when I first began exhibiting the ability to bend blue flames. It must have confused my instructors- according to the report, nothing like this has ever been seen before."

"Well, why is that such a bad thing? You're unique, it makes you who you are!" Toph encouraged, knowing all too well what it felt like to be different.

"It's nothing bad I suppose, I just don't like finding that I've been lied to. Especially when it has to do with me directly. Now I'm prepared to find out why my fire is blue." Azula declared, cupping her chin in thought.

"Maybe I could help with that!" Aang said cheerily as he literally flew into the dinning area. "Morning!" He said after coming to a stop across from Toph.

"And how do you suppose that would work?" Azula asked as she picked up the scroll once more.

"Easy. I'm the Avatar. I can just ask one of the…past…" Aang grew quiet and his cheery smile fell when he remembered why that would be impossible.

After a moment of silence, he perked up again, "Well, there's always more then one way! Besides, we already saw that Fire can be pretty much any color. That's what the dragons showed us, rememeber?"

Azula gave a sad half smile at her student, "Yes, I remember. I just want to know what else I've been lied to about."

Aang shrugged as Zuko entered. "Morning," He said rather sleepily, his bed-head almost rivaling Toph's.

The group chorused back their greetinings as he moved into the kitchen to help Katara.

The last one to arrive was Sokka.

He instantly perked up at seeing Azula. He all but charged over to where she was sitting and plopped down next to her.

"Glad to see you're feeling better!"

Azula glanced at him, then back down at the scroll, desperately fighting to keep an unwarranted smile off her face. "Yes, much better."

He, too, looked at the parchment in her hands and leaned over her shoulder to get a better look. "What's that? Fire Lord-y stuff? Ohh does it have to do with throwing over your father by any chance? You know I've been thinking-maybe we could just send Toph after him. Oh! Aren't you still in control of the Dia Lee? Maybe they could help!"

Azula-not at _all_ fazed by the proximity of his lean body- huffed and dropped the scroll. Turning to face him she asked, "Do you have an off button?"

"No, he doesn't. Trust me, I've tried to find it." Katara said, walking up to where they were sitting. "I need you two to go into the market to get some things? If you're up for it."

Sokka sat straight up, "Shopping? Of course I'm up for that!"

Azula rolled her eyes, but nodded along anyway. She wouldn't mind spending some alone time with Sokka, In fact-

Wait a second.

She looked to Katara, who was smiling at her brother, and got the distinct impression that this girl was up to something.

Then it hit her once their conversation from two nights ago resurfaced in her memory.

Was Katara really trying to set her and Sokka up? That sneaky little… Well. Two could play at this game.

"You know, _Tara_ ," She began, drawing out the name, "I was actually hoping to stay here and help Aang with bending today. Lightning generation and all. Why don't you and _Zuzu_ go instead?"

Katara blanched, then narrowed her eyes at Azula. Oh, so she had discovered her thinly vailed plans for her brother and the Princess. Now she was trying to turn the tables. It was on.

"I need to stay to help him with waterbending."

"Well, I think he needs to focus on Fire more at the moment."

"Great! Then Zuko can help him."

"I meant lightning."

At this, Zuko stepped up, "Sokka and I could-"

He was abruptly cut off as both girls shushed him.

"No, no. I think Azula and Sokka should go. After all, Sokka always knows what to shop for in the food department. I'm more of an economic shopper." That was a lie, but Azula didn't need to know that.

"Well, I would be of no help. My food has always been shopped for and prepared for me. I wouldn't know the first thing about shopping for a family dinner."

"Well, this will be a great learning experience then. Besides, you and Zuko have the money."

"That can easily be re-arranged." As if to prove her point, Azula reached under a fold of her shirt, pulling out a sizable pouch. She set it on the table next to Sokka. She smirked at Katara.

The waterbender didn't back down. She was going to win this. "I need to prepare food for the day. What's the harm of taking a little break Azula? You should take things easy- you did just get over being sick. Maybe a walk around town is what you need. Fresh air, and all and- no, _don't!_ Do _not_ look at your brother- Like I said, Sokka already knows what to shop for."

Azula stared Katara down. She knew she had lost, but a little intimidation went a long way. Even when it was all a bluff- like she would ever willingly hurt Katara again.

Katara stared right back. She used to fight Sokka for the last piece of seal jerky when they were kids. This was child's play.

Toph, Aang and Zuko all stood still, wondering who would come out on top. Both of these girls were forces to be reckoned with. Prodigies with special abilities going head to head. And over something so seemingly trivial, too.

After about a minute of blank silence, Azula growled and looked away. Katara smirked in triumph as the Princess re-clasped her pouch under her shirt. "Fine. I'll go."

"Thank you. Oh, and don't be gone _too_ long. Aang still needs to practice with lightning today." Katara giggled as she turned away, leaving a mortified Azula and a confused Sokka in her wake.

"Why did I agree to this again?" Azula asked for the fifth time in the hour as she and Sokka made their way from booth to booth, looking at all there was to look at.

"Come on 'Zula. Loosen up a little!" He said as he threw his arm over her shoulders, "We've all been going and going non-stop for the past month. This is the least we should be able to do." he claimed as he released her to admire a necklace made of some purple stone, hanging from a golden strip of ribbon.

Hmm.

"Winding down when we are so close to Sozin's comet is the one thing that we should _not_ be doing. We should be training Aang-and ourselves- to face Ozai when the time comes."

"We have plenty of time. Besides, I't not like you won't be stronger during the comet either. You could probably take Ozai down all on your own. You and Zuko both. That's what the comet does, right? Makes firebenders like 100 times stronger?"

Azula smiled a little at the compliment in there somewhere and gave a hum of agreement as she moved on to the next booth. Sokka followed a minute or so later. Something, however, caught his attention along the way.

He stopped and back tracked a bit, coming to a stop in front of a poster hanging on a wodden beam.

"Hey, check this out!" He called back to Azula, watching as she turned and made her way back to him.

"What is it? I thought we were getting food."

"Look." Sokka said simply and pointed at the poster.

"The Ember Island Players. Ugh. They are the worst scrap-group, lousy excuse for entertainment I've ever seen. Even Zuko would agree. They made a fool of themselves year after year with…what was it again? 'Love Amongst the Dragons'. Mother used to force us into going."

"Yeah, well, this time it's about us! Maybe it will be worth it." Sokka exclaimed as he took the poster down and rolled it up.

Azula was beginning to question her choice in men.

After returning from the market, Sokka and Azula entered the courtyard where the others were training.

"Look what we found!" Sokka yelled, rushing further into the courtyard.

"What _he_ found. I was opposed to it." Azula muttered as she followed closely behind him.

Sokka unrolled the poster and held it out for the group to see. "It's a play about us!"

He proceeded to read the description and who was credited for the production. When Zuko heard who was presenting the play, he groaned.

"My mother used to take us to see them every year. They butchered 'Love Amongst the Dragons'."

"That's what I said. But he insists we go." Azula added, sitting next to her brother on the fountain.

At this, Katara pipped up, "Sokka, are you sure it's a good idea to attened a play about ourselves?"

"C'mon! This is the kind of wacky, time-wasting nonsense I've been missing!"

"We don't _have_ time to _waste_." Azula said, glaring at Sokka half-heartedly.

"Well," Aang said stepping up, "We did just get done with some pretty intense training… maybe a break would be good. What time is it?"

Sokka looked over the poster again. "Two hours after sun-down."

Azula pursed her lips, looking over the hopeful faces of her family. Eventually, she conceded. "Fine. But you will be training non-stop until we get ready to leave." She declared, pointing at the Avatar.

He smiled and rubbed his arm. This was going to be a long day.

 **A/N: Anyway, sorry for the late post- life is time-consuming! Hope you all liked it, please let me know! Your comments really make me happy! I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible.**

 **Writer out!**

 **~0-0~ *Water Tribe***


	24. Spoof Pt 2

**A/N: Guess who's not dead!  
This. Chapter. Kicked my small behind with no remorse. I had no motivation to write it for most of the month, but I got out of that funk just in time to bring you this chapter ****from the depths of my writing grave.** **I hope I did it justice, I'm ok with it, not my favorite but it could have been worse. I'll let you decide what it is. Enjoy!**

 **DISCLAIMER: NONE OF IT IS MINE! Whatever writing you recognize I will admit I did steal it from the episode "Ember Island Players" But keeping it in line with the show is kind of the idea.**

Chapter 24: Spoof Pt. 2

Night fell and, after an as-promised long day of training- the gang covered up as much as possible in the heat of the eavning air.

Zuko and Azula easily paid for the tickets, and soon the small family was filing into the benches of the theater.

Azula and Sokka sat on the back bench, and Azula watched with amusment as Aang tried to sit next to Katara, only to be discreetly shoved out of the way by Zuko.

Niether Toph nor Azula missed the way Katara fixed her perfectly-fine hair with as much feigned nonchalance as possible.

Aang said something about wanting to sit where Zuko was, trying and failing to come up with a logical excuse as to why.

Toph blew her bangs out of her face-she refused to acknowledge that the gesture was similar to Katara's- and called her earthbending student over.

"Just sit by me Twinkletoes. You can explain to me what the heck is happening on the stage."

Aang looked between his three instructors and sighed. Begrudgingly he took his seat next to Toph.

The six teens settled as the lights from the torches dimmed. The show was about to begin.

Music began to play from the pit in front of the stage, setting the background noise as the curtains opened to reveal the first scene of the play.

The props were all an icy-blue color or white. A fake boat containing the actors that were no-doubt representations of the Water Tribe Siblings slowly moved across the stage.

Katara tensed when she felt a hand land on her shoulder. Her first thoughts went to the Firebender sitting calmly beside her. She wasn't sure of the reason why the tought of him touching her caused a nerveous flutter under her skin-well, no reason she wanted to readily acknowledge anyway- but once she realized who was really grabbing her shoulder, she glanced back.

She came face to face with a grinning Sokka, she smiled as well when he repeatedly geastured between their actor-look-a-likes and the real deal.

This wasn't going to be so bad.

"Sokka," The actress on stage sighed, "My only brother- we constantly roam these icy eas, and yet never do we find anything… fulfilling."

"All I want is a full feeling in my stomach, I'm starving!"

Ok, so they were wrong. This was going to be horrible.

The crowd laughed, seeming to enjoy the sad excuse for humor this play presented.

Katara and Sokka's faces fell as they turned to one another. They didn't…really sound like _that_ , did they?

The actress Katara continued. "Is food the only thing on your mind?"

"Well, I'm trying to get it out of my mind and into my mouth- I'm starving!"

Sokka, affronted, leaned over to Katara again, "This is pathetic! My jokes are way funnier then that!"

Toph started laughing and her friends all turned to her, she sobered up long enough to say, "I think  
he's got you pegged!"

Azula smirked, "You know the writer had to get his information from somewhat reliable sources. Looks like you talk about food so much that the public started to pick up on it."

Before Sokka can say anything snarky back, the actress on stage starts speaking again,

"Still, we cannot give up hope! For hope, is all we have! And we must never relinquish it, even ... even to our dying breath!" The actress then started to sob into her hands.

Katara looked at the stage in slight irritation. She crossed her arms- not paying attention, she brushed her arm against Zuko's. She tried to ignore it and said, "Well that's just silly. I don't act like that!"

Toph giggled again, and even Zuko was trying to hide his smirk. "Oh man," Toph said, clutching her abdomen, "This writer's a genius!"

At this point, the actors on stage were now standing in the fake canoe, looking at a speher that mimicked the ice-berg they had found Aang in.

Azula tilted her head, then turned to Sokka, asking in a low voice, "Is that what an ice-berg looks like?"

He turned to her, now face-to-face and said, "Bigger then that. We have to take you to see them."

She smiled despite herself and slowly turned back to the stage, her moves calculated. She counted it a win that his eyes stayed on her longer then necessary.

The actors "freed" actor Aang from the fake lump of ice, and the young Avatar eagerly sat forward in anticipation.

Only to be shocked beyond belief when his actor turned out to be a woman.

When Zuko's actor came on, he was less irritated then his friends, but still comented on the inaccuracy of how he was shown.

When Katara replied that she thought the actor was spot on, it was proven just how close to home the writer had hit when Zuko retaliated, "How could you say that!?" Then the actor on stage goes, "How could you say that!?" …in the exact same voice.

A bit more time and a few more scenes passed, each lag of the play more ridiculous then the last. When Suki came on, Sokka didn't even flinch-much to Azula's pleasure.

The Gaang did, however, get their answer as to why Sokka had drank to "Never have I ever dressed up as a Kyoshi worrior." Both Zuko and Azula had luahed out right at that, cuasing a blushing Sokka to hide in his hands.

The first intermission came soon after, releasing the Gaang, all of whom were wondering why they were even choosing to endure this any longer.

"So far, this intermission is the best part of the play." Zuko said heatedly, slumping against a pillar.

Sokka decended the steps to where everyone else was sitting, eating some snack they were selling at the consession stands-fire gummies he recalls. "Apparently the play-write thinks I'm an idiot who makes stupid jokes about meat all the time." He said grumpily, plopping down next to Azula who promptly dug her hand into the bag of treats he was holding.

"Well, that makes…what now? Three of us that have taken on fake identities? Zuzu, I had a feeling you were the Blue Spirit, I just wasn't sure."

"Five of us, actually," Katara continued, "Toph was the Blind Bandit in an underground fight club when we found her-"

Azula laughed outright, "Of course she was."

Katara rolled her eyes and slid over the intturuption easily, "And I was the Painted Lady in a Fire Nation Fishertown."

Azula and Zuko stared at Katara, a bit dumbfounded.

She noticed, "…What?"

Azula glanced at Zuko, smirked and just shook her head. "Nothing, you'll learn about it sooner or later."

"Learn about what?!"

Zuko shook his head as well, a blush on his face, "It's nothing."

Toph raised an eyebrow, she could tell that the Prince was lying, it was most definetly _something_ , but she let it drop…for now.

Zuko regained his level head and went on to say, "I didn't know you guys knew Jet."

Sokka snorted into his fire gummies while Katara blushed and Aang just looked uncomfortable. Toph laughed,

"Yeah. I think that's one of the only things the playwrite has gotten accurate so far."

"The part about them meeting Jet?" Azula asked, still a bit confused as to why he was so important.

"That," Sokka supplied, "And that he had a thing for my sister."

Azula threw her head back laughing when she saw Katara's blush deepen. Toph joined in, making Katara want to melt into the floor. Zuko just felt something inside him clench and his distaste for the rowdy Freedom Fighter grew considerably.

"Yeah, well th-that… It didn't work out because it turned out that he was trying to wipe out an entire town. He was just using me to get what he wanted." Katara defended, feeling a little bad that she had to use Jet's past actions against him, especially after… "And anyway, He helped us out in Ba sing Se. But he got hit by the Dai Lee pretty bad…we… we don't know if he made it."

The girls grew quiet, looking solenm. Toph decided to keep quite about how she could tell Jet's final words to the group had been a lie. Zuko considered this before feeling his previously growing distaste dissipate…somewhat.

"Well, at least we know the writer got _some_ of the details right, and at least your actors all look like like you." Aang said in an attempt to lighten the mood. It worked, but got him into a rut as he recalled that his actor-or rather _actress_ \- looked nothing like him. "That woman plaing the Avatar doesn't look anything like me!" The young Nomad exclaimed, much to his friend's ammusment.

"I don't know, you do happen to be more in touch with your feminen side." Toph teased, cuasing Aang to stand up in a huff.

"Relax Aang," Katara eased, looking around the group, "They're not accurate portrayals. It's not like I'm a preachy crybaby who can't resist giving overemotional speeches about hope all the time." She smiled and glanced around, only to notice everyone staring at her disbelievingly. "What?"

"Yeah," Aang said dejectedly, "That's not like you at all."

"Listen friends," Toph once again began, "it's obvious that the playwright did his research. I know it must hurt, but what you're seeing up there on that stage is the truth."

"Well the truth hurts." Azula muttered, still somewhat unaffected, seeing as her actor hadn't made their debut.

"Yeah, that's why it's better to lie." Toph advised nonchalantly. Sokka turned to Azula, finding her smirking approvingly at the blind girl.

"You are such a bad influence."

Her smirk turned on him, "Just creating mini-me's. Soon there will be enough of us to take you down by force!" She shouted, half-heartedly tackling Sokka.

Katara giggled, watching the two somehow _gently_ shove one another around. She was right- they were made for one another.

/\

Soon, once everyone was back in their seats and the play had begun again, Toph made her…or rather, _his_ appearance, and gave everyone in the theater bloody ears while he was at it. Toph, of course, loved that.

She punched Aang's arm, cuasing him to lurch forward before turning to the grinning earthbender. "This is the best." She gushed, cuasing Aang to smile. Well, at least she was happy.

 _She has a pretty smile._ Aang thought to himself, staring at his teacher. Then, _Wait. What?_

No one was sure how Aang had ended up on the floor next to the bench with a red face, but they didn't question it as he just sat there muttering to himself.

It wasn't long before Azula came out on stage, actually with only a few lines and a witty joke about Zuko's honor before disappearing off the stage, just like she had in the abandoned Earth Kingdom town.

Katara turned around to face Azula, "How did you escape that time, anyway?"

Zuko and Sokka both turned to look at her as well. She just smiled secretively, "A princess never reveals her secrets."

Her friends just rolled their eyes and turned back to the play.

The next big event to take place on stage was the drilling in the wall of Ba Sing Se.

Azula slumped back in her seat, not looking at the stage. Sokka picked up on it.

"Hey," He addressed her in a light whisper, grabbing the attention of Zuko as well, "Are you ok?"

Azula glanced at him, shrugged and turned to look at the stage.

This was her greatest feat as a military leader. She had felt so accomplished, immense satisfaction over her victory of conquring the mighty city of Ba Sing Se, the inpenaratrable city! But now she just felt a sick coil in her stomach. She did that. Sure, she got rid of the corrupt organization of the Dai Lee, but what did that leave the city with?

The feeling of someone gripping her hand pulled her from her poisionous thoughts. She looked to her left to see Sokka gripping her hand tightly. She smiled and squeezed back.

Whatever damage she had done, she was going to fix it. The fact that she now had genuien friends to support her just made her that more willing to do so.

Zuko smiled to himself when he heard the two had gone silent. He knew that if there was anyone on earth to take care of his baby sister other then himself, he was glad it could be Sokka.

/\

The drill scene had nearly put everyone to sleep, but the play picked up and soon the Gaang was watching as Katara and Zuko's players were trapped under Ba Sing Se.

Azula eagerly sat forward, leaning in between the two benders. "This is the part I've been waiting for!" She whispers excitedly to Katara and Zuko.

Katara raises an eyebrow and looks to Azula. "Really? Not the part where you start to rule the earth?"

"Oh please this is much more interesting!" Azula replies, ruffling Katara's hair. They laugh before turning back to the play.

The actress goes on to explain how she has had a crush on Zuko since "You first captured me."

"I'm still waiting to hear your side of that story, sister." Azula leers, nudging Katara's head with her own.

Katara blushes but rolls her eyes, "There's nothing to tell?"

Toph leaned over Katara, speaking directly to Azula, she helpfully supplied, "She's lying."

"Aren't you the Avatar's girl?" Actor Zuko asks. Katara looks to the stage, wondering what the play-write has written for her reply. Out of the corner of her eye, she can see Toph turning and saying something quietly to Aang.

"…Like a little brother to me. Besides, how could he ever find out about…this?" The actors on stage come together in a seemingly loving embrace. Katara and Zuko barely have time to feel awkward before their heads are being shoved together.

"Now kiss!" Azula commands, holding their heads as close each other as possible, given their struggling.

"Azula, back off!" Zuko whispers, trying in vain to shove Azula's hand away.

"Not until I get what I want." She sing-songs, shoving their heads even closer together.

Katara-wanting to get back to the awful play-rolls her eyes, "For the love of-" She cut's herself off by grabbing Zuko's collar, roughly pulling him closer, and giving him a quick peck on his unscarred cheek.

Zuko freezes, a blush creeping up onto his face as Katara turns back to Azula. "Satisffied?"

Azula looks between the two, contemplating, before saying, "For now."

No one but Toph notices how tense Aang is beside her, so it is no surprise to her when he gets up and leaves. Sokka says something about food on the way out and then turns back to the play.

The actress Azula is on stage, along with Iroh and Zuko.

"So what's it going to be brother? Your Nation, or a life of treachery?"

Zuko-momentarily forgetting what just went down between him and Katara at his sister's hands- shrunk down in his seat a little, knowing what was coming next.

When the actor Zuko chose Azula's side-after showily shoving actor Iroh to the ground- Zuko looked away as his actor said something horrible. He flinched slightly when Katara spoke up beside him.

"You didn't actually say those things, did you?"

Zuko sighed but kept his head turned from her. He could hear the concern in her voice and didn't want to see her face.

"I may as well have."

After that, the play moved pretty quickly as it came to the second intermission. Actress Azula fought the Avatar and struck him with lightning. Azula sighed.

No one was feeling comfortable in their own skin once the curtains closed for the second intermission.

Sokka and Azula went off, something about finding his actor and giving him better lines, but no one was realy paying attention. Katara looked around, noticing a suspicious lack of bubbly airbender.

"Has anyone seen Aang?" She asked Toph and Zuko, who had opted out for sitting against the wall. Toph shrugged.

"The last I felt of him, he was getting up before the scene where he was taken down by Azula. I can't really pick up on his vibrations anywhere-too many foot steps right now."

Katara nodded as she moved towards one of the many balconies that lined the theater's exterior. "Thanks. I'm gonna check outside." She left to the soft sound of Toph starting up a conversation with Zuko.

Entering onto one of the balconies, she spotted Aang standing alone by the railing. He looked downtrodden and her motherly instincts kicked in. She walked up to him.

"Hey. Are you alright?" She asked cautiously.

He didn't look at her, but answered angrily nonetheless. "No! I hate this stupid play!" He ripped off the large hat he had been wearing and flung it to the ground.

Katara frowned. It was like he was throwing a tantrum.

"I know it's upsetting, but it sounds like you're over-reacting." She didn't like the play either, the character potraylas were all wrong, the time and plot line twisted not only the events, but it also made a huge joke of everything they had all fought for. But she couldn't find anything offensive enough to envoke Aang's wrath.

"Over-reacting? If I hadn't blocked my chakra, I would be in the Avatar-state right now!"

Now she knew he was exaggerating. It couldn't be _that_ bad.

Aang sighed and turned to look at her, "Did you mean what you said in there?"

She had said something? Thinking back, she couldn't recall having said anything majorly important as of late.

"In where? What are you talking about?"

"On stage-when you said I was like a brother to you?"

"I didn't say that, an actor said that." She couldn't deny that it still held some truth. While she-well she didn't _think_ \- she had any romantic feelings for Zuko-She could hear a voice in her head telling her she was lying- she did see Aang as more of a brother figure.

And Aang seemed to pick up on it. "But it's true, isn't it? We kissed at the invasion, and I thought we were going to be together, but we're not."

Katara sighed and looked up at the full moon. She would need all the support she could get right now.

"Aang, I don't know…" She trailed off, not sure how she was going to break it to him.

"Why don't you know?" He was imploring.

Katara understood he had a big heart and wisdom beyond his years. But she didn't think he understood what he really wanted. He didn't really want her. He couldn't. He was so young, and a nomad raised by monk's for water's sake! Not to mention he had bigger problems to worry about. She decided to go with that. It would be easier to try to get him to understand that he had a larger role to play. That he needed to be focused on other things right now.

"Because we're in the middle of a war. And we have other things to worry about. This isn't the right time."

"Well when is the right time?" He was begging now.

 _Never._ That voice popped up in her head again, and she almost said it, but she couldn't. Couldn't hurt him like that.

"I don't know. Right now, I'm just a little confused." And it was true. About him, the war. Her new friendships- heck, even Zuko- though standing here, it was becoming clearer what she wanted in regards to _that_.

She had turned towards Aang, but her eyes were closed. When she felt the warmth of another face close to hers, she opened her eyes and jerked back in surprise.

"Aang!" She said harshly.

He had just tried to kiss her.

"I just said I was confused!"

"Confused about what? I thought this was what you wanted!"

"I don't even know what I want!" She shouted back, matching his tone. Her heart was racing and she didn't like it. He wasn't listning to her.

"But it's not me. It's Zuko, isn't it?"

Katara took a step back like she had been slapped. Part of her wanted to scream that he didn't know what he was talking about, and even if he did, it wouldn't be his business. Another part of her entirely wanted to scream that, Yes, He was right. That if in the long run she had to choose him or Zuko to be with, Zuko was in the lead.

That scared her more then she cared to admit.

Katara shook her head, silencing her thoughts. "That was wrong Aang. I'm going back inside."

Without another word, she turned from him and left.

 _He's young, he doesn't know what he's doing. It's not his fault._ She kept repeating to herself over and over as she moved through the crowds of play-goers.

But if it was true, then why did she feel like her skin was crawling?

She was so consumed with her thoughts that she didn't realize she was about to run into someone until she rammed into a warm, muscular chest.

"Oh sorry, I didn't-" Katara cut herself off when she saw just who it was she had collided with.

Of course it had to be none other then Zuko.

She was beginning to think life hated her more then it did Sokka.

"Are you ok Katara?"

The waterbender flinched when he said her name. She shook it off.

"Yeah, just…not feeling the play. Where is everyone?" She asked, trying to distract herself. She felt as though he was looking right through her with that piercing gold gaze of his.

He shrugged. "Toph left to get some food a minute ago. Sokka and Azula are still off on their own." He smirked at that, but frowned when he saw Katara barely responded. Huh. He had thought she would like making fun of their siblings being alone together, but she didn't even aknowladge that he had said anything about the two. In fact, now that he was paying closer attention to her face, he could tell something was wrong.

"…Are you ok? Did you find Aang?"

Her eyes snapped to his and he noted something flighty in them. Not like she was afraid, but more like she was… alarmed?

"Aang's fine, why wouldn't he be?" She replied hastily, glancing over her shoulder and then back at Zuko before looking around the hall.

"Um…That's not what I aske-"

"We should get back to our seats! Don't want to miss any more of the play, right?" She cut him off and began to move back towards the auditorium.

"Yeah, ok…" He trailed off but followed after her, not really wanting to leave her alone. Something was off, and he didn't like it.

Katara heaved a sigh as she settled back down into her seat. Toph was there already, and eating some of the same snack Sokka had been during the first intermission.

She held the bag out when she felt Katara's vibrations, "Fire gummie?"

"…No thanks."

Toph raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with you Sugarqueen? Your heart is all jumpy."

"Nothing is wrong!" She answered a bit too loud just as Zuko came back in. He rolled his eyes as he sat down next to her.

He leaned over her to stage whisper to Toph-wow Sokka must have been rubbing off on him- "Give it up, she wouldn't talk to me eaither."

Katara scoffed and shoved him out of her personal space by his shoulders. Toph just smirked as the Firebender nudged Katara's shoulder lightly. Katara retaliated, but she was at least smiling a little now.

Yep. Just like Azula and Sokka. These two were a match for sure.

Soon, Azula and Sokka came back-Azula had also picked up on Katara's odd behavior, but got the same treatment as Toph and Zuko when she asked what was up.

"I don't know why everyone keeps asking me that-I'm perfectly fine!"

"Lying." Toph stated simply.

Azula hummed in thought. "We are talking about this later." She said in a no-nonsense tone that made everyone wonder if Azula was secretly more motherly then Katara.

The play picked up again, going through everything the Avatar's group had gone through up until the invasion a few weeks prior. It was then that Aang decided to show up, this time sitting in the back next to Sokka.

Azula watched from the corner of her as her pupil pulled his hat down over his face when the actress Katara told actress Aang that she loved "him" like a brother.

 _I need to figure out what is going on between those two._ Azula thought. Really, she needed this for a few reasons, 1) He rmental sanity could not take leaving a perfectly good problem unsolved  
2) Aang needed to focus in order to defeat her fether, he couldn't do that if he was upset over something.  
3) Everyone needed to focus in general.  
4) She did not need a 12 year old pinining after Katara when she was trying so hard to get her brother and her together.  
5) She loved medeling, this was just too good.

But it would all have to wait until after the play was over. As of that moment, the actress Azula and actor Zuko were joining forces with the Avatar.

Once they ran off stage, Sokka stood and streached.

"Well, looks like that's it."

Azula raised an eyebrow, seeing as the curtains were still pulled, the lights were still dimmed and no one was applauding. "Wait," She instructed, grabbing Sokka by the arm and hualing him back down-closer to herself then platonically necessary, but who could tell? "The play's not over yet."

"But it's caught up to the present now. Unless… This is the future~" He said eerily, looking out over the crowd with suspicious eyes.

"I'm sure it is speculation on the play-writer's behalf entirely. But let's see what they think will happen."

Sokka shrugged and slung an arm over the back of Azula's seat, totally relaxed-which is more then she could say as she noticed what he was doing.

She took a breath and sat back, hoping her sudden nerves didn't show-she may be a traitor, but she was still a princess with her dignity intact.

The play showed the comet approaching. With it's power, actor Ozia used it to slay the Avatar. Then, to everyone's shock and genuine concern, Mai took out Zuko and the rest of their family, reported back to the Fire Lord and shared in his victory with Ty Lee and the Dia Lee under their command.

The curtains closed and the crowd went wild.

The six teens in the nosebleed section furthest from the stage sat in shocked silence.

 **A/N: That's where it's at! So yes, now the Gaang knows that Mai (and possibly Ty Lee) are working with Ozia and they are shook. Keep a look out for the next chapter, I can't tell youo when it will be up, but I am at the very least determined not to take so long this time around.**

 **I always love the comments you leave and get so happy when I read them! Thank you so much for them! Let me know what you thought of this chapter, what you're looking forward too, ya know!**

 **I'll catch you on the next one!**

 **Writer Out ~0-0~** ** _Water Tribe_**


	25. Reflections (In Every Sense)

**AN: Well, hey there! I actually got this story updated in a timely manner. This chapter is more comedy-fluff then anything, and the characters might seem OOC, just a warning. But overall I think it's a good chapter... I'll let you decide!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING**

Chapter 25: Reflections (In every sense)

The walk back to the beach house was a long one. It had started out as the Gaang sharing their views on the horrible play. It started out light. Zuko had begun by saying "That…wasn't a good play."

Various noises of agreement were heard, then Sokka said, "The effects were decent."

"They should have paid more attention to the story line. You can have a play with the best effects in the world, but if the story makes no sense you may as well be using a card-board box." Toph chimed in. When she sensed everyone was looking at her, she addressed them, "What? My mother likes theater. That's something she said."

Katara shook her head and turned around to face everyone. She walked backwards so she could keep up with them. "Ok. None of that ending was true. Mai is not gonna kill us all, and Ozia is not going to win."

"Is that wishful thinking or are you actually confidant?" Zuko asked as he slowed down as to match her pace. She looked at him openly.

"I know we will win. We have Aang on our side and our own skill sets. We've taken down Mai before. We can do it again!"

"Look," Azula began, moving up to the front of the group, "While I am usually all about battle plans-making sure all loose ends are tied- we don't even know that this is going to happen. Mai, working with the Fire Lord? That can't be true. Even if she lost her mind, she would never work with him, she hates politics. That play-write probably just needed a dramatic ending."

Katara nodded, but felt no real assurance. It may have been all part of a really horrible play, but if the Fire Nation thought it was a plausible ending, then it was a possibility. She turned back around and glanced out at the ocean line that they were walking parallel to.

Azula followed the waterbender's line of sight and came to rest her gaze on the water. She rushed past her brother and hooked her arm with Katara's. She glanced back at the rest of their group, "You all go ahead. We'll catch up later."

Before Katara could protest, Azula was dragging her off towards the beach. She stopped trying to detach herself from Azula as soon as her feet hit the water. The pull of her element instantaneously soothed her shaken nerves and she took a deep breath.

Azula lit a small flame in her hand, giving them light to see by-Katara really didn't need it. As long as she could feel the water pulsating around her, she could tell where she was going.

"I used to come out here and walk along the beach when I was younger and couldn't sleep. My uncle said my restlessness was strange for a firebender. He told me that it's usually only waterbenders who couldn't sleep well with a full moon out."

Katara glanced up at the sky, seeing the bright orb hanging out in the open. Like with the water, she could feel the pull, could snese it's calling. She smiled. "Maybe you were meant to be a waterbender and your genes just got messed up. That would explain why you bend blue fire." She thought out loud, inclinging her head towards the flame in the other girl's hand.

Azula looked at it for a moment. "Strange indeed. I should take Aang up on his offer to help me find out why I'm different once he gets the ability to go back into the… the Avatar state, was it?"

Katara nods, "Yes. You seem so sure that he'll be able to pull it off. That we all will. Why are you so confidant?"

"I have faith in my own abilites as well as everyone else here. If there was any group of teenage masters that would be able to defeat the most threatning Firebender in the world, it would be us. I'm not just saying that to gloat, either."

"We are pretty spectacular if you think about it."

"How long did it take you to become a master?" The question seems to come out of no where, but Katara answers easily as she recalls everything she learned over the past half year.

"Just a few weeks. I was master by the end of winter this last year. Why?"

"It took me a few years to get to where I am now. I just want to know how you got there so fast." Azula admitted. She found she was slightly jealous of her counter part. She became a master of her element in under half the time it took Azula to become a master in hers. Half of half the time!

"Sheer determination not to die in a war at 14 and my rage-filled hate of sexist tribe members definatly helped." Katara mused as they continued making their way down the sandy shore.

"Rage-filled… what do you mean 'sexist tribe memebers'?"

Katara raised an eyebrow, " In the Northern Water Tribe? They have a strict and long-standing view of what women in society should look like. To them, we eaither spend all our time keeping house and making babies, or training to become healers if we can bend. When we got there to find Aang a master, I was excited because I thought I would find one too. Turns out the master bender there refused to teach women. I was really angry and challenged him to a fight. I actually held my ground for a while against him. He ended up beating me, but agreed to teach me because he found out my grandmother is the woman who ran from an arranged marriage with him years ago. I had no idea. He ended up letting me learn along side his students and I beat everyone there-not to gloat, those boys just didn't know how to fight. Master Pakku is actually the one who ended up giving me the title of Master after the seige Zhao enacted."

"Wow. I didn't realize women didn't have equal rights wherever they went. But that's amazing that you beat everyone of those boys and then some-all to prove you were the best."

"Well, I wouldn't say it was to prove I was the best. I just really wanted to learn how to use my element in combat. Healing is of course a useful tool, but I don't want to be a doctor." Katara said, wrinkling her nose at the prospect of spending all her time in a healing hut. How boring.

Azula smirked, "Enjoy bringing the hurt more then helping it go away?" She laughed as Katara lightly shoved her, muttering a 'whatever' as she plopped down on the sand. Azula also sat, looking out over the water.

"What is it like in the Fire Nation then? Aren't women allowed to be Fire Lord's too?"

Azula nodded, her flame casting a strange glow over her features. "They can. We definetly have more of an equal place in society and politics. But it hasn't happened in a long time."

"Your mother wasn't the Fire Lady?"

Azula shook her head at that, recalling her father's coronation day. "She disappeared before Ozai really came to power. No one really knew how or why. But then, when Zuko and I were facing our father, he told us what happened to get her banished."

Katara remembered, Zuko had told her. She wanted to ask Azula if she missed her mother. It seemed like Zuko did, but given the circumstances that made it possible for Zuko to open up about the topic made Katara think it was a bit of a sore spot-possibly for the both of them. She didn't want to hit any nerves.

Thankfully, she didn't have to. Azula turned to look at her head on. "So. What was the matter with you after the second intermission?"

Ah, so it was Katara's nerves they were going to hit.

"I…don't know what you mean."

"I may not be Toph, but I can tell you're lying. I also happened to notice a very gloomy looking airbender. What went down?"

Katara sighed and drew her knees up to her chest. Azula wasn't going to let her off easy.

"I…Aang tried to kiss me."

That tripped the Princess up. "What!? Wait-back up a moment. He tried to kiss you?"

Katara had pulled back at Azula's little outburst-noticing her flame grew in size slightly- and wondered why she was so upset. It's not like Aang had tried to force a kiss on _her_.

"Yes. I caught him before he could though."

"Well, did you tell him it was wrong?"

"…yes?"

"Is that a yes as in yes or a yes as in no?"

"My yeses always mean yes, so yes."

"Yes?"

"Azula-Yes! I told him it was wrong."

"Good."

"…is that all?"

"No."

"No?"

"No."

"Well then what?"

"What exactly led up to that?"

Katara rolled her eyes and thought back. She had gone out looking for him, found him on the balcony. He threw a fit because of how awful the play was. He had wanted to know if what actress-her had said to Actor-Zuko about real-Aang being like a brother was true. She had danced around the answer, not wanting to hurt him-although she did give him a good excuse- to not be focused on such things right now. He didn't listen to her when she said she was confused after he accused her of having feelings for Zuko. She had closed her eyes for a second and he dove in. They had gotten into an argument and she left.

Huffing, she said, "I found him, he was upset about the play. I was trying to calm him down, he was really upset. I thought it was just about the fact that he was played by a woman, or that the details of the play were all wrong, but then he brought up that it seemed like I had feelings for your brother-in different words- I just told him I was confused and he just tried to kiss me."

Azula looked personally affronted. Katara jumped to Aang's defence, no use turning the Princess against Aang yet again. "It's not his fault! I mean…Not really, he's just so young! And he's probably never liked anyone in his life and-maybe he's confused! I don-"

She was abruptly cut off by Azula slapping her hand over her mouth. "Shh. If you don't blame him for his actions, then why were you so put-out earlier?"

Katara thought for a moment. It was exactly the same thing she had done right after it had actually happened. She had been trying to convince herself that Aang wasn't to blame for doing what he did. But if that was the truth, then why did she feel almost the same as she felt about Zuko after he picked Azula's side in Ba Sing Se? Ok, it wasn't _that_ bad, but she still felt betrayed.

She sighed and removed Azula's hand, "I just don't think he understands the full scope of how his actions could effect other people. He's just a kid. I mean, we're not much older then him, sure, but I don't think he knows what he did was entirely wrong. He's had no one to teach how to navigate th-"

As soon as the word 'navigate' came out of Katara's mouth, Azula put her hand back over it. "Don't worry, I got the Sparrowkeet and Buzzardbee talk a long time ago, I don't wish to re-live it." She removed her hand, "But it does sound like he was mislead. Maybe not by you… after he tried to kiss you what did you say?"

"That I was confused, and he said he thought it's what I wanted-"

"There! What would make him think you wanted that?"

Katara blushed and was glad Azula's light didn't allow it to show, "W-well, he did kiss me at the invasion."

"…are you serious."

"Well, that time we all thought we were going to die so-"

"We think we are all going to die now! That doesn't make it ok!"

"Azula-relax, you're going to set the beach on fire!"

Azula huffed and extinguished her flame. "Ok. So we know that he tried to kiss you because he has terrible social skills-"

"Hey-"

"Shush I'm not finished, terrible social skills, he kissed you once before and he thinks it's what you wanted, yes?"

"Why are we analyzing this, I-"

" _Yes?"_

Katara sighed again, "Yes."

"Right. Now let's back up a bit more. You said he thought that you had feelings for my brother?"

"Yes."

"Do you?"

"What!?"

"Do you have feelings for my brother? Zuko? The tall one with dark hair, big scar over his left eye? Wouldn't shut up about honor for over three years? That brother?"

"I know who it is, I just… That's one of the reasons why I said I was confused."

"Right, so you might."

"I don't know!"  
"Let's put that on the back coals for now, so we know he's jealous."

"Who?"

"Aang."

"Jealous?"

"Yes. Of Zuko."

"Why would he be jeaous of Zuko?"

"Because Aang thinks you are being won over by Zuko."

"Well then I'll just tell him I'm not-"

"NO!"

"…well ok…why not?"

Azula thought fast-she couldn't let Katara know she was medling. "…Because you don't even know for yourself if that's true, and you don't want to lie to him. Besides, telling him there was no competition would only add fule to the flames of his lust for you."

Katara gave the other girl a disbelieving look, "Aang is not _lusting_ after me, he's 12!"

"Any 12 year old can think that way."

"He was raised by monks."

"My point still stands. Regardless-what he did _was_ wrong, and it was right of you to tell him so."

Katara groaned, "Then why do I feel like the bad guy here?"

"Because you squashed a young child's hopes and dreams, good going."

"Azula!"

"I'm teasing. Look, it doesn't matter because you were right, he can't be focused on things like romance right now. He needs to concentrate on being able to take down Ozai."

"That's what I tried to tell him."

"We will have to find a way to get it into his brain that he can't have you right now."

"..or ever" Katara muttered to herself, that same strange voice popping into her head again. Azula caught on.

"So you're not at all interested in him?"

"I-I didn't…I-erugh! I don't know right now! I keep telling you people I'm confused!"

"Well, I'm not going to force any kisses on you, don't worry, I'm just trying to help you work through your confusion."

"You really should stop spending time with my brother, his sense of humor is rubbing off on you. Actually, you two would be cute together, please-spend all your free time with him!"

It was Azula's turn to blush, "I could say the same about you and my brother!"

"I thought you were trying to help me work through my confussion about all this?"

"Right." Azula shifted so her legs were beneath her. They would have to start heading back soon, the others would start to worry.

"We need a game plan, one that gets Aang's focus off you and onto the battle field, and one that solidifies it. Esspecially if you don't share his feelings."

"I don't want to hurt him, Azula." Katara suddenly sounded tired, like this whole ordeal was draining her. That was bad, if she was drained then she would be off her game, then the ending of that play could very well become a reality.

"You don't have to. You just have to show him that you are not interested in him."

"How do I do that?"

"Kiss Zuko."

Katara hopped to her feet as though the sand had just turned to lava. "WHAT!? Azula are you insane? What makes you think that will solve anything?!"

Azula also stood. "Well, it would show Aang that you're off limits and it might help you sort out your feelings for my brother."

"Ok, one, That would never work! Aang would just be hurt and heart broken and unable to focus on anything. And two, I don't even think Zuko shares the same feelings I do."

"So you admit it!"

"What?-NO! I-" Katara stopped and sighed, "Like I said. Confused. This would not help matters. Gosh, you're just like Toph. Have you two talked about this?"

"Not yet. And don't worry about my brother not sharing any feelings you may or may not have for him. I can tell you that he-"

"Stop! I don't want to know."

"Why not?"

Katara, in her distress, spun around herself once until she faced Azula again, "Because I don't want to be even further confused, and knowing how your brother feels about me-if anything at all- would just make it worse. I'm not kissing Zuko, I'm not saying anything to Aang. Stop trying to be my relationship guru!" Katara huffed, panting slightly. Then she recalled something both she and Azula brought to light, "And if Aang isn't supposed to be focused on anything romantic right now, what makes you think anyone else should be?"

Azula stepped closer to Katara and looped their arms again as they started to walk back up to the house. "He has a larger role to play. Not that our's are any less important, but he can't afford to be distracted by anything. Us more seasoned worriors can handle it a bit better. But look, if you don't want to kiss my brother, then don't."

"Thank you."

"I'm just glad I got you to admit you feel something for him." Azula smirked.

"I am done with you."

/\

Back at the beach house, the rest of the Gaang was getting readyfor bed. Sokka was in the washroom, washing off the sweat and grime from his face after walking around the market that day. Zuko was also in there, standing in front of the wall length mirror that was placed above a trough-like sink area. Sokka looked at the prince curiously as he stared at himself in the mirror, looked away, turned and looked again. He repeated this three times before Sokka asked him what he was doing.

"Uh, Zuko? You do realize you won't gain any more grey hairs within three seconds of turning away from the mirror, right?"

Zuko startled a little, as if just noticing the other boy was there, and turned to look at him directly.

"Yeah. I'm just…examining something."

"…your scar?"

"Yeah."

"Don't get me wrong, it's interesting to look at-very shiny- but haven't you had three years to look at it?"

Zuko rolled his eyes as he turned back to the mirror, "During one of the intermissions, a kid ran by and told me it was on the wrong side. That just got me thinking. I don't know if Katara told you, but I used to think this scar defined me. Like it was my whole identity. I know lots of people are aware I have it- but the fact that someone thought it was on the wrong side just…I don't know. Maybe people don't use it to define me as much as I thought they did."

"Well, that's true. When I was describing you to Toph I didn't even mention it. I just called you and 'Angry jerk with a pony-tail'." Sokka laughed.

"Like yours is any better." Zuko retoted, leaning further towards his reflection.

"Hey, that's kind of like what Katara said when I said it the first time."

Zuko stopped short. "Katara…defended my _hair_?"

"Well…more like used it to prove that mine was no better. If I recall correctly, she asked me, 'What do you have against pony-tails, pony-tail?' I-of course- had to correct her and tell her it is a worrior's wolf-tail. Nothing else!" Sokka punctuated his statement by dropping his fist into his other hand.

Zuko smiled-partly because Sokka was starting to pick up on Azula's traits- and partly because the thought of Katara talking about him at all made him feel something weird in his chest. A pleasant weird, but weird nonetheless.

At that moment, he heard the two girls he had been thinking about enter back into the house.

"…et him up with Toph!" That was Azula.

"For the love of- give it a _rest_ Azula!" Came Katara's exasperated voice.

Zuko glanced to Sokka and in an instant the two boys had their ears pressed against the crack in between the door and it's frame.

"Rest-now I know I've heard that term somewhere before…"

Sokka could picture Katara rolling her eyes at the princess' antics.

"You are impossible. And it's not like that would work anyway!"

"Why not, opposites attract. You of all people should know this."

Sokka froze. Just what were they talking about. Opposites attracting? Why would Katara know more about this then most? Zuko's thinking was along the same line, though he had an idea as to what Azula thought Katara's 'opposite' was.

"What makes you say that?" Katara asked, their voices getting closer to the bathroom as they moved down the hall towards the stair case.

"You know you feel the pull. I can see right through your little act. You're not fooling anyone. Except maybe Aang. Even Toph knows how you feel about him."

Zuko-unbidden- felt something in him tighten. Who was 'him'?

Katara's sigh was audible through the partially open door, "Azula, I told you to drop it."

"I'm sorry, I can't now that I know a perfect match is in the making. It would be perfect, Air and Earth, Fire and Water-"

"Sword and crown?"

Three people simotenously blanched at those words.

"What?"

"You want to go on about how Aang and Toph, and Zuko and I would be such perfect couples- have you ever thought about yourself and my brother?"

There was a moment of silence in which some delicate thought processes were made.

Katara's was somewhere along the lines of boisterious manical laughter and the sinking feeling that someone was watching them.

Azula's was trying to process what had just been said-her fetiuge from the day's end and still getting over that cold did nothing to help her thinking speed- and trying to form some witty comeback.

Sokka's was ranging from over-protective-brother-mode, to Oh My Unagi that makes so much sense, to Why Hasn't Azula Responded With The Affirmitive Yet?!

And Zuko-poor Zuko's- was basically white noise along with a few images of a certain waterbender wearing the Fire Lady's crown he had previously tried to burry in his subconscious.

Slowly, Zuko and Sokka turned to look at one another.

Sokka then procedded to make some spastical gestures in the direction of the two young women who had stopped in the hallway.

Zuko glared at him and held a finger to his lips. He wanted to hear what they would say.

After another 30 seconds of blank silence, Azula sighed and said, "If you won't admit your feelings outright, then I should mine. Who am I to be a hypocrite. Yes, I have thought of it."

Sokka could have died.

He actually lurched backwards, cuasing Zuko to reach out and stop his fall. No way was he going to be outed because Sokka couldn't fathom that Azula liked him.

Wow, that was a weird sentence.

Katara laughed victoriously and gave an excited "Yes! I knew it!" While Azula grabbed onto her arms.

"Shh. Not so loud! The walls still have ears, remember?"

"Right, right. Let's go to bed, I've had enough revelations for one day."

"Didn't you already suspect that I liked Sokka?"

"Well, hearing you confirm it makes it more real…"

The voices of the girls faded away and Zuko and Sokka sat frozen against the door for what felt like forever, waiting for the footsteps to fade completely.

Once they did, the boys sprung up and apart.

"Dear ocean's did that just… did that just _happen_?" Sokka asked, gripping at his hair.

"Uh-huh." Zuko smirked, laenaing back against the sink. Sokka eyed him curiously.

"Why aren't you freaking out? You heard what they were talking about! We should be fighting each other in protective-older-brother fashion, or you should be on cloud nine over the fact that my sister likes you too!"

"She never said that. Azula just said we would work together. That's what Azula does, she medels."

Sokka grabbed the older boy by his shoulders.

"Zuko, think about it. Azula said she wouldn't be a hypocrite, meaning she wouldn't keep her feelings a secret like Katara so obviously is. Opposites attract? Fire and Water? Ring a bell?!"

Zuko shrugged Sokka's hands off and moved to leave. "Sure."

"You can't just ignore this! Azula is right- you two would be perfect for each other!"

Zuko turned to look at Sokka, "Why are you encouraging this? You're her older brother, shouldn't you be waving Space Sword in my face and telling me to keep my hands to myself?"

"One," Sokka said, holding up his finger, "Like I said, Azula was right. Older brother protective-ness aside, I know what's good for her. It's what makes her happy, what makes things easy for her when she has the weight of everone else's problems on her shoulders. That thing happens to be you. Haven't you noticed? She lights up like the fire you bend when your'e around!"

Zuko opened his mouth, but Sokka cut him off, "Shush-I'm not finished. Two, right now it's coming to a point where it's going to be either you or Aang. And for as much as I love the kid, he's not what Katara…I don't know, wants-no _needs_. He's not what she needs. She mothers him. He's strong and powerful but he can be a liability, and I don't want him to become that for her."

"…And if she becomes a liability to me?"

"You can handle it. Something tells me you already do."

Zuko thought back to the spar day at the temple. How he had chosen her over Azula that time. How he had dove into her, keeping rocks from crushing her. How he had tried his hardest to back her up when she faced Yon Rah.

Something told him Sokka wasn't wrong.

"And three? I know you're all about honor. You would probably chop your own hand off if you touched her. So yeah, I'm not worried."

Zuko roled his eyes. "Right, well. I can't say the same for you so-"

Without warning, he grabbed Sokka by the tunic and shoved him against the wall next to the door. It was all for show, he would never hurt the boy, but the shocked look on his face was priceless.

"You hurt my sister, it'll be your hands that come off."

"Right-ok, I hear ya, loud and clear-you can let me go now."

Zuko smirked and relased the worrior.

"And you know, I'm not worried about that eaither," Sokka began, dusting himself off, "Because I know for a fact that if I do anything to make Azula uncomfortable, she could char me to a crisp with just a look."

"Good, then you know your boundries." Zuko said as he moved past Sokka. "Goodnight-"

"Wait! You never told me what you thought about Katara."

"What's there to think? I'm not going to push her nito anything. Her feelings about this come first. I don't want to ruin what friendship we finally have by forcing her into confessing to me just because I want to feel validated. That's not what friends are for."

"…but you do want her to confess?"

"Goodnight Sokka."

/\

Katara couldn't sleep.

She had tried, but ended up tossing and turning so much she was afraid that Lu Ten's bed would break, and Azula and Zuko would come rushing in thinking they were under attack.

Her restlessness stemed-not just from the full moon above- from her conversation with Azula playing on a loop in her head. Which led her to thinking about her conversation with Aang. Which led to her thinking about the near kiss miss that followed. Which looped back to her thinking of her conversation with Azula and trying to break everything down and mash it all up again into a semi-understandable picture that just had mixed and muddied colors.

Katara huffed and kicked her blankets off. This wasn't her. She wasn't some ditzy little girl that giggled and gossiped over boys like so many of the younger girls in her tribe did during the winter nights. She was a woman, a worrior, master waterbender, teacher to the Avatar for moon's sake! She shouldn't be worked into a mess over boys. She had a war to think about, to plan about! She could think about boys after the war.

Except she couldn't. There would be work after the war. Re-building, re-connecting. She wouldn't have any time for romace.

But she wanted it. What healthy teenage girl didn't? Well, she shouldn't say that, there were pleanty of girls out there who knew they would be just fine without any romantic attachments, and they were happy about it.

Oh, how she wished she could be like that right about now.

She was sure everyone expected her to end up with Aang, anyway. He was on his way to being a hero. In all the romance scrolls, the hero got the girl. She was sure she would be expected to follow him around and help him re-build, it was what would be best for everyone. For Aang.

But for her?

Sighing, she slipped off the bed and made her way over to the large window that over-looked the beach.

Much like earlier that night, she looked up at the moon.

Words that Sokka had said Suki told him rang through her mind. "I am a worrior. But I'm a girl too."

Was it really possible to be both, to have both? Suki had made it seem possible, but then she left. Yue had given up everything she had for the better of the world. Toph was too young to care, and Azula seemed to think she could pull it off but had made no move to do so.

Where did that leave her? Could she be different? She wanted to be.

She needed to clear her head.

She padded out of her room and down the stairs all the way to the kitchen. Maybe some tea would help soothe her into sleep. It was worth a shot.

She stopped short just outside the large kitchens. Someone was in there. She could tell by the light spilling into the hallway.

Well, misery loves company.

She quietly made her way in, moving towards the burning plates near the back. She was surprised to see a pot was already sitting on one of the plates, steam billowing up from the spout of the teapot. She tilted her had as she approached it.

"Couldn't sleep?"

She jumped slightly at the voice coming from the left, though she expected someone to be in here. She turned and looked into the face of who she was intruding upon.

Zuko.

"I was getting restless. Full moon and all." She excused herself. She didn't need to know he was one of the factors that played into her sleepless night.

"So I was right, you do rise with it." He said as he came to stand next to her.

"Just as you rise with the sun," She sighed, too sleep deprived to feel awkward in his presence after her conversation with his sister, "I just came to get make some tea. Maybe it will help me sleep."

He gestured to the pot on the hotplate, "This is almost finished, if you want some."

She glanced to it, "What blend is it?" She asked, lifting the lid to peer inside.

"Gensing. My uncle's favorite."

She put the lid back down and looked to him, "You miss him?"

He nodded as he moved to a table in the corner she hadn't seen before, "Everyday."

"Is he still in prison?"

Zuko shook his head as she sat down across from him, "No. Azula and I went to break him out right before following you guys. When we got there, the cell was destroyed, a guard was slumped against the wall-nearly unconscious, and he was no where to be found."

Katara's eyebrows rose. She knew Iroh was a force to be rekoned with, even if he didn't look it on the outside. But hearing a first hand account of seeing that power…

"Do you have any idea where he went?"

Zuko looked up to the ceiling, as if it would give him answers, and said, "Not a clue. But I have my theories. Not that it matters. He wouldn't want to see me right now anyway."

"You think he's mad that you sided with Azula?"

"I know he is. He wouldn't talk to me, wouldn't even look at me no matter how often I visited him in prison. I made a huge mistake in not joining you guys sooner. If I had, maybe this could have been avoided."

Katara put her chin in her hand and studied him from across the table, he wouldn't look at her, which was strange. "There is some good that came of it. If you had joined us back then, Azula may not have followed."

Zuko hummed, not really commited to disagreeing with her. Just then, the teapot started screaming and he moved to get it.

He came back a second later with the pot and two cups. He poured tea in both of them and slid one to her.

"Thanks." She said, accepting it. She stared down at the lightly colored liquid, staring at her warped reflection. She didn't realize Zuko was staring at her.

When he spoke, he looked away, knowing she would be looking up at him, "Were you really ok? Earlier tonight, after the second intermission? You seemed kind of out of it."

Katara scoffed and looked back down at her cup, "Everyone keeps asking me that."

When she glanced up to see him waiting for her to elaborate, she sighed and said, "Something…happened. Between Aang and I."

The room suddenly felt very warm to Zuko. Or maybe that was him. He bit back whatever hot-headed retort was on the tio of his tounge and asked instead, "Is everything ok? What happened?"

Katara dropped her head into her hands and let out a sound similar to a growl, "I told him I was confused about…things, the war, everything that's been going on these past couple weeks, and instead of listning to me, he tried to kiss me!"

Zuko noticed there was smoke rising from where his hands were laid on the table, and he quickly tore them away, tucking his chin into his palm. "What did you do?"

Katara lifted her head and picked up her cup, just to give her hands something to do. "I told him off. Told him it was wrong. And it was but…"

"It's not what you want." He finished simply, and she shook her head.

"I don't know. No. It…it's not, but I feel as though it's almost expected of me to end up with him. Even the play _kind of_ hinted at it. And it's plain as day to everyone how he feels about me. And I don't know, maybe it's best for the world if I follow him. Help him re-build."

There was the Katara he knew. Putting her own happiness on the line for the better of the world. But in all honesty-and totally _not_ just jealousy- he could see a world doing just fine without her having to follow Aang around.

"You know that's not true. The world would do just fine if you weren't with Aang. Even if it weren't… Sometimes what's best for the world isn't what's best for yourself. And it may be selfish, but sometimes what's best for yourself is more important. Especially if you play a big part in saving the world, just like you do, Katara. The world can't be saved if you aren't at your best. Sometimes that means putting yourself before it. _That_ is what's best for the world."

"Being selfish?"

"No…Giving yourself what you need, so you're whole enough to give the world what it needs."

Katara sat there and thought for a minute, then smiled, "When did you get so wise?"

He smirked back at her, "I have my moments."

There sat there in silence for a minute, sipping at their drinks. Katara was broke the silence after her cup was empty.

"Thank you Zuko. For the tea and…helping me figure something out."

He raised an eyebrow, "That being?"

She looked at him then, in the semi-darkness. Earlier, she had thought that he and Aang were in a sort of compition for her. She had thought to herself that Zuko would be in the lead, and that thought had been scary.

Now though, sitting here and listening to him make sense of the very thing she had been loosing sleep over, she came to two realizations, one: There was no longer any compition. And two?

She wasn't scared at all.

She answered his question effortlessly now, "That I'm not confused anymore."

 **So there it is! I like the ending better then anything, but I would love to know what you thought of it! Leave a review and let me know! I'll catch ya on the next one!**

 **Writer Out ~0-0~** ** _Water Tribe_**


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